Whatever it Takes
by Takada Saiko
Summary: Rumplestiltskin has always avoided his own end if possible, and it's that habit that has made him a creative problem solver. In which Rumple makes a different choice in defeating Pan and sets them all on a path that should never have been. AU to Going Home. Rumbelle. SwanFire. Likely some OutlawQueen as well, because they're just awesome.
1. Prologue

Notes: *deep breath* So I'm a little nervous over this one, because as was pointed out to me earlier today, this is my first actual AU in which I'm not just taking off from a current episode. I'm excited and nervous all at once, so I hope it's as fun of a ride as I have it pictured. For those of you that have read my other work, this will probably not be an update-every-day kind of story. I'm thinking twice a week with the occasional Wednesday updates when I get the chance. We'll see how it goes.

* * *

**Prologue**

When he was young, Rumplestiltskin had been afraid of more than the other children in the village. He didn't like heights, he was a poor swimmer, and nights were often filled with shadows that he was certain would leap out at him. The other children in the village - the two spinsters that had taken him in after that terrible trip to Neverland had tried to encourage him to make friends with them - seemed to find their entertainment in making his fears a reality. He was smaller, weaker, and often bullied. Their favourite form of abuse seemed to be hauling him to a certain cliff that overlooked the waters. He knew that the rocks receded far from where the other boys jumped in, but knowing it and believing it as they pulled him to the edge and finally heaved him off the ledge when he refused to jump was entirely different. The waves would crash in around him and every time it was a wonder when he broke the surface and managed to find something to grab onto. They thought it was all in good fun, but all Rumple could do was struggle not to drown.

The nights were the worst, though, as every bit of light that streamed through from the moon made the shadows dance across the walls. He'd bury himself under his blanket until one of the sisters came in and coaxed him gently back out. "You'll never sleep with all that crying, Rumple. What's so frightening?" they would ask.

"The shadows."

They tried to tell him that shadows couldn't hurt him, but he knew better. Shadows were demons in disguise. Shadows took his papa away and convinced him that he didn't love Rumple. As bad as the other children were, the spinsters were kind to him, and he didn't want to lose them too. If he wasn't careful, the shadow would take them away as well.

As he'd gotten older, the nightmares about the shadowy demon faded and so did his urge to jump at every nocturnal movement. During the day he spun with the two sisters and in studying how to spin and weave, he learned to appreciate the details in all that surrounded him. In doing that, he could finally, for the most part, talk himself out of his night-time terrors and he learned to outwit the rather dull witted boys of his village. Oh, Rumplestiltskin didn't make any friends, particularly, and they never really stopped harassing him, but they caught him less in the end.

If it were the monsters that haunted his dreams or the children that could have just as easily have been monsters, Rumple learned how work his way through the situation to tell what was real and what was not.

What was real was that his jaw hurt like hell. Who knew the scrawny frame his father had taken on could pack a kick like that? Just like his jaw, though, so did the back of his head and his shoulders where he'd collided with the shelf and nearly gone all the way through it. It had knocked him a little funny at first, but some of that could have been the shock. He'd had it under control. Of course he'd had it under control, but then Pan had switched the cuff and Rumple had mentally kicked himself for his own stupidity. His oversight had cost him dearly. It had cost everyone dearly, and wasn't that the story of his life? The one time Rumplestiltskin was determined to do something right, he'd still screwed it up. Maybe being a coward wasn't his lot in life, maybe it was being a failure. He'd failed to hold onto Milah's love, he'd failed to protect Bae from himself and the prophecy, and he'd failed, now, to save those he loved. He failed. He failed he failed he failed. It was like a terrible little sing-song voice - the damn imp, even with the magic-blocking cuff on he could hear the darkness and feel it swirling inside of him, demanding something he couldn't give it - would never let him forget it.

_All you have is darkness. This is where reaching for the light gets you. Weakness._

His father was talking again, that haughty look etched into his face enough to make him sick. He'd worn it enough time after playing people like pawns in a game. The feeling built him up, made him powerful. Pan had that look now. A man - a boy? - with ultimate power. Here, in Storybrooke, with all the magic that Rumplestiltskin himself had brought, he wouldn't need the Heart of the Truest Believer. He'd be able to use it and retain his form. He'd leach the magic from this place just as he'd leached it from Neverland, sucking it dry until they were all long gone and dead. Well, all that Rumple cared about anyway. What did the others matter? Belle, Bae, and even Henry… Pan was going to kill them all, and without magic, he could do nothing to stop him.

He leaned down then, in his son's face and for a moment, Rumple was seven years old again with his father telling him all the things he couldn't bear to hear. "Without magic, you're right back to where you started. The village coward."

And then he walked away. Rumplestiltskin wasn't even worth killing in Pan's eyes. The most powerful sorcerer in the Enchanted Forest didn't even cause Peter Pan to blink, and why should he? The cuff wouldn't come off for him. No matter how hard he tugged, pulled, and ripped at it, it wouldn't come off. The smooth leather wouldn't even give him the satisfaction of biting into his skin. It rubbed, irritating at its worst point, and he gave a strangled growl of frustration as he pulled at it again.

_Think_, his mind commanded him, just as it had all those nights that he'd lain awake in bed, staring at the shadows and wondering which one would open its eyes and reach out for him. _Think and use what you have._

The sword. Pan had left it lying on the floor. What was Rumple going to do with it? Walk up and stab him in the back? No, certainly not. He rolled, reaching for it. Self-mutilation wasn't particularly a go-to that he revelled in, but he'd been known to go to extremes before. He'd shattered his own ankle to get home to his son, and if he had to cut off his own hand now to save him, so be it. As soon as his magic returned he could reattach it anyway. That was certainly a luxury that hadn't been afforded to him during the Ogres War.

He pulled himself to his knees, folding back the sleeve of his shirt. He could do this. For Bae. He _had_ to do this. Even as he pulled the sword back he could almost feel the terrible pain racing through his arm of what was to come. Pain was temporary, he reminded himself. Only temporary.

The next thought struck him harder than the blade could have, and he knew he'd been a fool. An utter fool. A laugh bubbled from his throat, shaky and a little mad sounding, if he were to be honest with himself. He didn't need magic to call his shadow. It was a part of him and would come when he called. He could have been across the town line and it still would have followed him. One can't simply lose their shadow, afterall, magic or not.

The laugh broke free again as the stumbled to his feet. As it had been for a great many years, his dagger was the answer. In that moment, he knew what he could do - what he _must_ do - if he wanted to feed that nasty little habit of self preservation. He'd make amends for it. He'd prove that he could do better. He didn't have to die to do that. In fact, he could prove it better in life.

Lifting one hand into the air he could feel an unnatural wind shift through the back office of his shop and one of the windows flew open in the main room. His shadow came flying in, the Kris Dagger clutched in one hand. He reached out for it, feeling the power that connected him to the weapon as he took hold. He knew this was the key, and he slipped the blade between the leather cuff and his wrist. He could do what was right by his son and love, but he'd be doing it his way. With one sharp pull the knife split the cuff and it was like someone had breathed life back into the Dark One.

* * *

He'd frozen them all in place, like puppets that he'd use for his show. That's all he saw them as, of course, even more than Rumplestiltskin ever had. At least he held onto a few people he actually loved. Pan had sent his only son away, refusing to take responsibility for the child that he'd helped to give life to. He was going on and on in some sort of monologue that he thought was important and Rumple felt a sneer pull at his features. Pan had been so certain that his son couldn't trap him because of feelings left over from long ago, but those had been done away with now. He knew this must end, and it must end without Pan free.

"You're not going to be harming any of them," Rumplestiltskin said, his voice holding a level of danger cloaked within the light, airy tone he used with those he he hated the most.

Pan snorted and opened his mouth to deliver some kind of cutting remark, but it snapped immediately closed as his eyes came to rest on his son's wrist. The cuff was gone and he looked up in shock. "You couldn't have taken it off. How?"

"I told you. I've come too far for them," Rumple growled, any lightness in his own voice gone. He didn't hesitate. Hesitation would have given Pan time to plan, and he'd learned his lesson on that. The box appeared in his hand, already opening as it did, and his lips tugged upward at the corners. "You're not in Neverland anymore. And this? _This_ is real."

A panicked expression crossed Pan's face and he immediately tried to move away. The magic from Pandora's Box sprang out though, the red smoke reaching from it and wrapping around him. He was frozen in place as it slowed then, almost as if it were taking its time once its victim had been stilled. Rumple remembered the feeling. It was a void inside that tiny little box. Time didn't move and you couldn't even flinch. It was most certainly not a pleasant experience, and the fact that he'd tricked them all into putting Henry in there instead of him the last time only set the satisfaction a little deeper in him. His magic wrapped around his father as well, telling him that no switch had been made. Pan was trapped.

When the magic had finished its work the box snapped shut, the locks clicking back into place and the spell fell from those Pan had frozen.

"Was that really him that time?" Emma demanded.

Rumplestiltskin nodded, eyes fixated on the box. "Yes, it most certainly was."

Belle crossed the space between them, her arms going around his neck and she buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. He could feel a sob wrack her and he knew he'd put her through too much. He always did. "I thought... When he showed up..."

"I'm not so easy to kill," he promised softly.

She smiled, pulling back to look him in the eye. "I told you that you shouldn't worry so much about prophecies. You defeated Pan without giving your life."

"But he's just trapped," David pointed out. "What if he gets out? We've already seen how powerful he can be."

"As soon as Regina breaks the curse, we'll be going back to the Enchanted Forest," Rumplestiltskin explained. "There's magic there that I can't access in Storybrooke, and a spell that can strip him of everything he gained in Neverland. He'll be powerless and you can lock him away in any deep, dark dungeon of your choosing."

"Breaking the curse will send us back?" Mary Margaret breathed, her eyes wide.

"Indeed it will." He glanced over to where the dark haired woman that had cast his curse in the first place stood silent. She had bent down to pick up the scroll, but didn't seem to be making a move to tear it. Rumple's eyes narrowed. "Regina."

She startled at her name and he could see the conflict in her eyes as she looked at him. "The price," she whispered.

"What's our price?" Emma asked, looking between the two sorcerers. In the distance, Leroy was calling out the warning. The curse was coming, just as Pan had warned. The green smoke was billowing through the streets and would wipe their memories if they didn't do something to stop it. If Regina didn't do something to stop it.

Something about the desperate look in her eyes tugged at Rumple. "It's your price alone, Regina. You cast the original curse, you must pay it. What is it?"

"The town will be destroyed and it'll be like it never existed," she managed, her voice taught with emotion. "Anyone that was born in the Enchanted Forest will be taken back."

Rumplestiltskin saw the understanding strike his grandson and he was reminded again how clever the boy was. "Except me," he whispered. "I wasn't born in the Enchanted Forest."

"He'll be alone?" Emma managed, her hand going to her son's shoulder.

"No. You're the savior. You can escape this again and you can take him. You have to take him."

"I can't leave them," the blonde argued, motioning to her newly found family. "This… I'm supposed to bring back the happy endings, right? How can I do that from here? We can both go."

"If I don't pay the price, none of this will work. Isn't that right, Rumple?"

The Dark One felt all eyes turn to him and his son's gaze was the worst. He met those eyes that were so like his own and for a moment he was looking at the young boy he'd known so long ago. The boy that thought he could fix anything. He'd been so young then and had so much faith in him. "Papa, you wrote it, right? There's got to be something. A loophole. _Anything_. Can't you-"

"There's a price to everything that's done, son," Rumple said immediately, cutting him off. He didn't dare meet his eyes then. He could feel the oncoming curse and they needed to work quickly. There would be no time to look for the details of what it would cost him to take on the price for Regina, and he'd learned long not to jump into a deal that he didn't thoroughly understand. It could be any number of terrible things. The curse demanded her son from her, what if it did the same of him?

"Papa, please."

His heart clenched in his chest and he felt Belle squeeze his hand from her place at his side. "I don't even know if I can," he admitted softly and pulled in a deep breath. If it was to happen, it needed to be now. "Come here, Henry."

The boy moved forward, hesitant as the grandfather he didn't really know reached his free hand out for him and he put his own smaller one into it. Rumple felt magic race between them, exploring and questioning.

_A young boy will lead you to your son and that boy will be your undoing._

That didn't matter. None of that mattered. He'd already proven that he could overcome his own darker impulses for family, and even though his curse whispered to him that he could leave the lad behind, secure that it would never come true once and for all, he couldn't do that to his own son. This boy was his family, and that mattered more than anything else. It mattered more than his own curse.

It was like a lock clicked open and he heard the words in his own mind. The price. _You will learn the true meaning of sacrifice. _Well that was vague.

"Gold, it's coming," Emma's voice broke through and he startled out of it before he could grasp the details.

Rumple blinked, finding Henry staring up at him. "Can I go too?" he asked.

"Yes, lad," his grandfather murmured, glancing back behind them as the smoke rolled in, taking parts of the town with it. "I need you to hold on tight, Henry, do you hear? I can pull you through, but if you let go, even I can't see where you'd land."

Henry nodded and tightened his grip. "I won't let go."

Rumplestiltskin nodded, feeling the smaller hand in his own and he pushed back the dark voice in his own mind. It would be easier to let him slip away, yes, just as it was easier for his curse to let Bae go. That had been an action that he'd regretted it his whole life. His son was asking him and he couldn't - _wouldn't_ - deny him this. "I won't let go of you either," he promised before turning his attention to Bae, reaching out with the hand that still clutched tightly to Pandora's Box. "I can't hold both."

"I've got it," his son answered and took the powerful little box.

Rumple pressed his thin lips together and nodded firmly. "Regina?"

"Right," she breathed and unfolded the scroll in her hand. She glanced over to him as she tore it and balled it up, destroying his life's work. It was okay, he reminded himself even as Regina's magic took over and she began fighting Pan's curse back. It had accomplished what he'd set out to accomplish.

When Regina's curse had first deposited them into Storybrooke they'd simply woken up. The clouds had rolled in, but there was no depositing them on the other side. He'd been in his room and so very, very alone. He'd known, somewhere deep inside, but his memories were clouded and vague. Now as the curse reversed, he wrapped a careful arm around his grandson and the twelve-year-old tightened his grip on him in return. Henry trusted him, and as his son caught his eye, he saw that same trust there too. It was chosen, not so much freely given, but Rumplestiltskin swore in that moment that he'd earn it from his son.

"See you on the other side, Papa."

"I'll bring him through."

"I know."

The curses danced in the sky and crashed down around them, filling their lungs and picking them up. It wasn't a smooth ride, but Rumple hadn't expected it to be. He'd changed things in the last moment, his own magic forcing its way in with Regina's. No one else in all the realms could have made it bend to his will as he was in that moment. He'd written the curse, he'd created it, and now he was manipulating it to allow a traveler through it that was never meant to go. He felt Henry cling to him and he tightened his own grip and held on.

* * *

TBC

Notes: Thanks for reading! Let me know how you're liking the beginning and I should have the next chapter up by the end of the week.

In the next chapter - The citizens of Storybrooke are delivered back to the Enchanted Forest only to find that someone is missing.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One.**

The smoke cleared and the citizens of Storybrooke found themselves standing on a grassy clearing in the land of their birth. Murmurs started spreading through the crowd and acknowledgments of their success were exchanged. It had worked. Pan's curse hadn't reached them and Regina had been able to break it.

"The box?" Rumplestiltskin asked his son and Neal nodded.

"Safe," he answered, patting the satchel that he now carried before turning to his own son who had just been released from his grandfather's careful holding. "Welcome to the Enchanted Forest, buddy."

Nothing could have prepared him for this. He'd read about it, memorized it, and even seen a map that was a part of his storybook, book _nothing_ could prepare him for standing with his boots - he was wearing leather boots! - on the soil and watching as a real live princess and prince moved towards them. As they moved closer, he realized that the princess was Aurora from the Netherworld and he offered a quick wave before being distracted immediately by everything else around him. Henry looked back, eyes wide in wonder and barely contained excitement. He was in the Enchanted Forest. The day could not get any better.

Henry looked down to his own clothes. His coat, scarf, and tennis shoes were put away for leathers and thicker materials. Sadly, no sword had been given to him on his arrival. He was going to have to talk to Gramps - he wasn't sure Dad would be quite as eager to exchange the wooden swords for a real one, but what sort of person walked around with a wooden sword hanging from his belt? - about that. He could only guess that the others had been delivered there in the clothes that they'd left in - there was blood splattered across Gramps' shirt, but thankfully the injury didn't seem to come along with it - some thirty years before. One look back at his Grandpa Gold and he understood why he could never put Rumplestiltskin and Mr Gold together as he had with so many other citizens of Storybrooke. His mom - Emma - though, was the biggest surprise. She was busy trying to figure out the dress she was wearing, or, more appropriately, how to move in it. She'd been a baby when she'd gone through to the Land Without Magic, so the breaking of the Curse had delivered her back with a new set of clothes, some that suited the daughter of a prince and princess, but probably not the most practical to be wearing in a field. He glanced over to his dad to see him staring with a dazed look as she nearly fell over in the layers and layers of violet material. Henry grinned widely. "_Dad_, stop staring and _help_ her!"

Emma's gaze shot over to them both and she tried to glare, nearly toppling again and he could see his dad choking back a laugh. "Trader," he grumbled good naturedly as he moved to help her. He was beaten to it, though, as Hook stepped in, offering his good hand to balance her.

"My lady," he said in a tone that even Henry knew and he watched Neal's expression grow a little less entertained. At twelve, Henry couldn't expect to know everything about the strange triangle that seemed to have become his parents and the pirate captain - he still wasn't sure he knew what to think about the fact that Captain Hook had a crush on his mom - but he knew enough to know it was complicated and had gotten more so during their trip to Neverland to save him. He thought he'd heard Hook offer to take a step back, but that promise didn't seem to have followed them through to the Enchanted Forest as he complimented Emma's dress with a what was probably supposed to be a charming smile.

Aurora approached with a man he didn't recognize, and Mary Margaret embraced her, introducing David and chattering away like old friends. Regina was standing back a ways - his mom's new (old?) look was going to take about as much getting used to as his grandpa's with the red strands of hair and the feathery outfit that was far showier than he'd ever seen her wear in Storybrooke - and the others seemed relieved to have gotten back in one piece. The excitement was almost overwhelming, and he spun around, hands gesturing wildly as he spoke. "This is going to be _awesome_! Mom, look at everything! Mom, can we go to your castle? Grandma Snow, can we see yours? Can we-" He stopped, eyes fixated on Emma. "Mom?"

Emma, in turn, had freed herself from Hook's help and was staring at Henry's grandpa with wide eyes. "I don't… Why are you glittery?" She whirled on Neal, and he was now close enough that she didn't have to stumble more than a step or two in the dress to grab ahold of his jacket, pointing at his father as she spoke. "Why is he _glittery_?"

Henry's dad, in turn, looked a bit like a fish as he opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the right words to explain. Henry himself was about to say something about the Dark One's Curse - something he was now very curious about since he could see the affects - but his grandpa cut him off.

Rumplestiltskin grinned impishly and giggled. He actually _giggled_. "My curse does take on a more… physical appearance here, dearie. No hiding what I am now, I suppose." He turned as if he were expecting to defend himself for the offhanded comment, but didn't find the person that would have reprimanded him for it. He looked through the crowd of people, his strange gaze falling on each one in turn, and with each person he saw, his brows drew a little closer together and the smile faded a little more until it had flipped entirely into a frown. Henry could feel the tension in the air and one glance at his dad said he felt it too. "Where's Belle?"

Henry looked around for the woman in question, finding other familiar faces - some that had been standing on the street with them and a few that hadn't - but not hers. Regina stepped forward. "It was a rough ride. She may have gotten delivered in a different group."

"That's not how it works," Rumplestiltskin snapped, growing more agitated by the moment.

"It wasn't really meant to be reversed in this way, either, was it?" Henry's mom barked back, bristling at the irritation thrown her way.

"She has to be here somewhere, Papa," Neal said. "We'll find her."

"What if-"

The Dark One's son reached out and rested a hand against his arm and the gesture seemed to calm him a little at least. "We'll find her. C'mon, Henry and I can help you look while Mary Margaret gets everything situated."

* * *

Baelfire had not expected to come back to the Enchanted Forest again. Granted, he hadn't expected the little impromptu trip that had been him getting shot by his ex-fiance and falling through a raging portal either, but hey, what was life without a few twists and turns to throw you off? When he'd first left he had thought he had made peace with the fact that he'd never see his homeland again. If that gained him a life with the father he'd loved as a boy, it was well worth that price to be paid, but his papa hadn't gone with him as promised. He could still hear his own voice that had filled his nightmares for so many years as he cried out not to break their deal. Instead of going to a place where they could be together and free, Bae had been delivered onto the streets of 19th century London and had nearly starved to death. That compounded by his years spent in Neverland had left him bitter towards both the place of his birth and the father that had let him go. He would have never expected that a return to the forest would be a sort of homecoming. It reminded him how much he'd missed it.

Now, though, he was watching his own twelve-year-old son race forward at the first sight of another group of Storybrooke citizens delivered back home, and even though he knew he should be worried about Belle there was a surprising peace within him. Rumplestiltskin had always been a bit of a pessimist, jumping to the worst conclusion at first hop, and the curse had only made that paranoia worse. He'd calmed a bit when Bae had talked him down and the Dark One's son thought that the full on panic attack that could have resulted in something less than pleasant in their first moments back in the Enchanted Forest had been averted. Instead he'd darted off in the opposite direction to cover more ground and Bae had found himself feeling amused rather than irritated. Maybe this really could work afterall.

"Any luck?" he called forward and Henry turned around from where he'd been talking to Pinocchio, the little redheaded boy looking up with wide, innocent eyes. Amazing what that little kid had grown into.

"I haven't seen Belle at all," the little puppet-turned-boy said. "I promise, if I had, I'd be truthful about it."

Bae tried not to laugh out loud as he ruffled the kid's hair. "I know. You don't have to tell me that."

"Belle wouldn't be the only one to have been separated from the group she left with," Marco - Geppetto - said as he put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Jiminy was with us as well as the Blue Fairy."

"So that means Belle just ended up somewhere else!" Henry said, looking back to his dad for affirmation.

"Just like Regina was telling your grandpa," Bae answered with a smirk. That'd go over great when the Evil Queen told Rumplestiltskin how right she'd been.

"Has he always been like that?" Henry asked as Geppetto took Pinocchio off in search of their friend.

"Like what?"

"Ready to think the worst."

Bae took a deep breath, surprising himself with the words that came out. "Yeah, he's always had a bit of a confidence issue."

"That's weird," Henry said with a huff. "I mean, he's supposed to be the most powerful sorcerer in the Enchanted Forest. I asked him - when we were in New York to find you - why he didn't just look at the future and see what was going to happen. He was so nervous about it. I mean, I guess it didn't go as well for him as I thought it would, but in the end it all worked out. We're all here and it's going to be great now!"

His father had seemed anything but nervous that day. In fact, he'd seemed his usual - well, usual after he'd taken on the Dark One's Curse - absurd self, trying to fix everything with magic in ways that completely bypassed the entire problem at its core. Bae hadn't needed his father to gloss over everything that had happened, he didn't need him to fix it, because there was no fixing it. There was only this slow journey that they were on now, and that was the only way that they could hope to approach it. He had to admit, though, his willingness help Henry both in Neverland and bringing him through were great stepping stones. "You're pretty smart, kid," he murmured after a moment. "I didn't spot that."

"That's because you were too close to it."

Smart was an understatement, Bae thought as he ruffled Henry's hair. "C'mon, let's-" he stopped as he felt a pulse that nearly knocked him off his feet. Magic. He turned, not seeing its source, but he knew instinctively that was what it was. He and Henry had already started back, aiming for the same direction that Bae's papa had gone in, when a secondary burst of power rushed past them. What the hell had Rumplestiltskin gotten into this time?

* * *

Bae's presence had helped to calm to the rising panic that threatened to take hold, but once his son and grandson had gone one way and Rumplestiltskin had taken off in another, all the darkness in his own mind could do was come up with every terrible scenario that could have taken place. Belle could have slipped through somewhere, stuck between the walls that separated the dimensions. She could have been ripped to shreds or even tossed off into another land entirely. The possibilities - especially the bad ones - were endless.

_You will learn the true meaning of sacrifice._

Not Belle. Not this soon. Learning took time. His magical inquiry into the price had told him that much. It would not be immediate, though _not immediate_ could take on so much. He needed time to think, time to reason his way through the sacrifice and what it would be. If he could dictate what it was that he was sacrificing, he could mitigate the cost. If he were very clever - and if Rumplestiltskin were anything, he was very clever - he could even redistribute that cost around. He had become surprisingly good at that, even if it were meant to be a personal price. Magic didn't care if one person paid it or another, for the most part, as long as it was paid in the end.

He stopped and took a deep breath, reaching out. There were collections of people popping back all over. Humans, fairies, dwarves, and every other species that inhabited the Enchanted Forest. He let his magic guide him and when he focused in on the next crowd of people that looked thoroughly misplaced, he saw a familiar golden dress peeking out from under a cloak. "Belle," he breathed.

The auburn haired princess turned, blue eyes lighting up as she saw him and a smile touched her painted lips. "Rumple!"

She was surrounded by her father, Gaston, and what appeared to be several nobles, only a few that he recognized, though. A surprising number had called on him in the time before the Dark Curse had taken them away, but it was often done in secret, as they were ready to condemn his dark and evil ways while speaking amongst their peers. They glared at him now, Maurice's the sharpest, but he didn't care. Belle was there and she was whole. His fears were unfounded.

Belle's smile never faltered as she sprinted across the opening between them - much more graceful in her own dress than Emma had been - and launched herself into his arms. Rumplestiltskin caught her, swinging her around and her laughter echoed in his ears. He set her down and without even thinking leaned forward, his excitement and relief making him impulsive as well as forgetful of where they now were, and he pressed his lips against hers. As his True Love kissed him back he felt a warmth pulse through him and the dark voice that had been ever present in his mind since killing Zoso on that fateful night screamed against it, demanding that he pull back and away.

Not long before the Dark Curse was enacted he'd stopped the kiss before the rush of magic could flow all the way through him. He'd chosen power over love and his curse over Belle. The fact that it had been to find Bae was irrelevant. In the end, his curse had only used that to save itself. Lies and truth were difficult to tell apart when the darkness stirred and demanded action. Demanded that he make good on the deal he'd made early on with it to keep a sliver of himself for his son's sake.

They parted when they felt it move between them, her eyes questioning what he wanted and he found himself staring back at her. The curse was screaming, howling in his mind but his heart clenched almost painfully in his chest. "Belle," he whispered her name, his fingers tangled in her hair and not giving a damn just how many eyes were on them. He could feel their judgements on them, the beauty and the monster, but the only eyes that mattered were staring back at him, all the love in the worlds in them.

"It's your choice, Rumple," she murmured. "I love you. _All_ of you. Even the darkness."

She was truly amazing, his Belle. He had put her through so much, and as they stood at the same fork in the road that they'd been at once before, she was giving him the choice that his curse would not.

Rumplestiltskin wasn't sure when he'd leaned back in, or when their lips met again, but he felt the second burst of True Love rush through his system and she tightened her grip on him, feeling it too. It worked through him, the initial pulse leaving even his extremities tingling with the magic, but the Dark One's curse was not so easily eradicated. If she hadn't had a hold on him at that point, he might have pulled back, fleeing from what could be, but Belle was his strength. She was his anchor against the raging darkness in his soul and when he finally blinked his eyes open, his limbs feeling heavy and his body worn, it was a set of blue eyes that greeted him and pulled him back to reality. "Hey," he greeted, his voice rougher than he expected.

"Hey. You okay?"

He pulled in a deep breath, doing a quick mental inventory. Everything seemed intact, except for that terrible screaming that had faded away in a burst of white light. "I think so."

"Papa?"

He turned, his head spinning a little at the motion even as he did, and he widened his stance. For now, at least, the spell he had worked on his shattered ankle while in Neverland seemed to be holding, curse or no curse. His dark eyes came to rest on Baelfire standing with Henry just behind him and a smile tugged his lips to greet the jaw-dropping shock that Bae wore. Memories pulled forward from so very, very long ago even as he offered a strained greeting. "Hello, son."

_If I find a way for you to get rid of the power… would you do it?_

"You broke it," Bae breathed, taking a hesitant step forward as if he thought it might be some sort of a trick.

_All I want is your happiness, Bae. If you find a way, I'll do it._

"Well, I _am_ a man of my word. Sometimes it just takes me a bit longer than others, but I always fulfill my end of a bargain."

He'd finally told Belle enough about his and Bae's story that she squeezed his hand, and he could feel the smile she was wearing. Bae, though, was still moving forward, eyes wide and he reached out in the last moment, gathering his father into his arms in a rare embrace. Rumplestiltskin returned it, holding his only son close. "You did it," Bae whispered into his ear. "You really did it."

The reply was cut short, though as a warning that he didn't have time to understand broke through. It was followed immediately by a shattering sound in his own mind and it was like a dam had broken, allowing pinned up waters to come crashing down and they flooded his thoughts. Rumple stiffened in Bae's arms as the images and visions that his curse had kept mostly sorted for him came through all at once with no filter to control them.

"Papa?" his son's voice sounded in his ears and he thought Belle called his name as his knees gave way and he was dragged under the tidal wave of the future.

* * *

TBC

Notes: Thank you all for the lovely reviews! I'm very excited that you're enjoying it so far!

Next time - Rumplestiltskin fights to manage his visions without his curse and a certain witch brings on a whole new set of problems.


	3. Chapter Two

Notes: So this is going to be a rare next-day update. I think I might be able to swing three a week, with the way the writing speed has been progressing on this one, so that'll start next week. Until then, enjoy an extra chapter before the weekend :D

**Chapter Two.**

He had just dropped. There was no warning that she had seen. One moment Rumple had been embracing his son, the joy of a long-ago promise fulfilled between them and then his shoulders had tensed very briefly before he'd simply dropped. Thankfully Baelfire had been right there and had caught him before he fell fully to the ground, easing his father to the grass.

Belle could hear her father and the other nobles she'd been brought through with murmuring behind them - oh, this would make such spectacular gossip, she thought unhappily, and Rumple would hate every moment of it - as she fell to her knees next to her love, careless of her beautiful dress and the dirt that would likely ruin it. His brows were knit tightly together as if he were in pain and his entire body was tense. He pulled in shallow, gasping breaths and as she reached forward, hand against his cheek, she felt the muscles in his face twitching beneath her palm, his eyes fluttering wildly as if he were fighting some terrible nightmare. "I don't understand…"

"Me neither," Bae answered as he knelt with her, brushing back his papa's hair.

"Is he okay?"

Belle and Bae both turned, half forgetting that Henry was still there. The boy's father offered an attempt at a smile. "He's tough, Henry," he promised. "I'm sure he'll be-"

"What the hell was that?" Regina's voice filled their ears and her adopted son sprinted to cross the space between them, taking her by the hand and almost dragging her over to where the others were.

"Grandpa Gold kissed Belle and I think it broke his curse, but then he passed out," he explained in a rushed manner. "Mom, can you help him?"

Regina looked shocked as she stared at her former mentor's still form, lying on his back on the hillside. "Of all the stupid…" she grumbled, pulling her son into a side hug and cutting off her irritation for his sake. "It's okay, Henry."

"Can you help him?"

The Evil Queen's lips thinned as she joined them, sending the nobles scurrying that much further back. She risked a glance in Belle's direction and the blue eyed woman met her gaze bravely. "So you finally broke his curse. He usually has better timing for things."

"It wasn't exactly planned," Belle snapped, worry barely hidden under the irritation she felt for the woman that had kept her a prisoner for thirty years.

"No, it was impulsive. He should have been thinking about the fact that Pan hasn't been dealt with in full and that he just did away with our hope of stripping him of his magic," the elder woman bit back.

"Can't you do it?" Henry asked, the sound of reason that diffused the quickly escalating tempers between his adopted mother and his grandpa's girlfriend.

Regina's expression softened. "It's a very complicated spell, Henry, if he was referring to the one that I think he was. With all my power, I don't have the knowledge it would take to perform it."

"What about you and Emma together?"

"Not likely," came the rasping reply from the man who had been expected to cast it. Belle felt her heart leap as Rumplestiltskin cracked open one dark eye - brown, not the strange amber-gold of his cursed appearance - and winced. He still appeared to be in a great deal of pain, and when he shifted, his hand went to his head. A low moan escaped him, half muddling his words. "You and Miss Swan's most valiant effort to cast it would only free him on the Enchanted Forest."

"Then you really do have terrible timing, don't you? You couldn't wait a day?"

"No," he answered roughly.

Belle cringed at the expression that crossed his face as he forced himself into a sitting position. Her hands went immediately to him, helping to support his weight. Rumple, for his part, seemed determined. "Did breaking your curse cause you to pass out like that?" she asked softly, gaining his attention.

"Not directly. My curse has taken care of handling my visions since the day I took them on. I didn't have anything in place - or even think to - to keep them sorted. It was a bit... overwhelming."

Regina perked at this. "_Didn't_ have anything in place?" She watched him curiously as he quirked an eyebrow at her. "You still have magic."

"Three hundred years of study was bound to have produced something of use."

"Magic without the curse," Bae murmured. "Did you know?"

His papa shrugged. "I didn't See that I would, if that's what you mean. I didn't know anything for sure."

"But you can still cast the spell on Pan?" Regina pressed.

"I should be able to."

"_Should_? That doesn't exactly instill confidence, Rumple."

He tensed under Belle's hands and turned a glare on Regina that could have rivaled anything that he'd given as the Dark One. "Do you mind giving me half a moment to get my bearings? I just-" He stopped abruptly and Belle thought he'd pass out again with the way his eyes began to roll back and his eyelids drooped dangerously. He clung to consciousness though and pushed whatever he was fighting back, reaching out for her hand and she instantly took his. A soft sound that might have been a sigh escaped him. "Yes, _should_. I won't risk casting it without my protections in place. If something like that -" he motioned, apparently meaning the fact that he'd nearly slipped back under the waters of unconsciousness - "were to happen in the middle it could be disastrous. We'll take the box to my castle-"

"Hate to break it to you, Papa, but your castle's in ruins," Bae cut in.

Rumple grimaced at this and started to shift, easing himself slowly to his feet. Belle stood with him and Bae followed, both ready to catch him if he started listing too dangerously in one direction or the other. He seemed sturdy enough for the moment, though they'd thought he was coming around just fine a few moments before when he'd been snapping back at Regina.

"Snow and her prince were discussing arrangements with the two that we nearly landed on," the Evil Queen murmured, most of the bite leaving her voice as she took in just how worn her former mentor looked. "Let's see where we stand, shall we?"

"Camping with the Charmings all over again?" Rumplestiltskin sneered. "Sure you're ready for that?"

"Rumple," Belle murmured, her hand resting on his arm. "Regina's right. Let's see where it leads us. Pan is trapped, right? There's no reason he should be let loose before you have time to find your new limits."

His eyes met hers and she pressed back the urge to tip up on her toes and kiss him again. There'd be time for that. There'd be plenty of time for that, but for now, they needed to find out exactly where they stood.

* * *

It was like every blow he'd ever taken over his many years as the Dark One had left a small ache in his body and each one was now compounding on the one before it. By the time they'd returned to the main group that he and Bae had arrived with he was doing his best not to lean against his son. The looks he received were a bit delayed, as most of those that they had returned to had become very accustomed to his human face during the nearly thirty years that they'd spent together in Storybrooke. It was Emma - finally looking like she was getting around better in her layers - that noticed first. "You're back to normal."

Rumplestiltskin felt several pairs of eyes on him suddenly and he didn't like it. He'd played with the idea of casting a glamour over himself to wear at least an illusion of his cursed self for others to see, just until he knew exactly what his plan going forward was, but had found very quickly that his magic - _his_ magic, not his curse's magic, and wasn't that a strange concept? - was far more limited than it had been and he had to consciously push it towards what he needed it to do. Now, it was almost entirely focused on building the mental blocks he needed to keep his visions in place. Those had not been directly linked to his curse, but he hadn't had any notion just how much his curse had taken care of that for him. Without it, he'd felt like a man drowning in the pieces of the future that had come crashing in around him. He'd have to make sense of them, he knew, because some had seemed rather important. He couldn't see faces in many, but there was an overall feel of dread connected to the scattered puzzle pieces.

"Grandpa kissed Belle and broke his curse!" Henry announced, nearly bouncing in excitement. Rumple must have shot him a look because it curbed instantly, barely contained under a cap. "Was I not supposed to say anything?"

Rumple pulled in a deep breath, reaching out and he ruffled the boy's hair. This seemed to relieve some of the tension and he felt a fond sort of smile tug at his lips. Bae's boy. He wasn't sure how he'd missed it for so many years. "Well, might not want to announce it to the world just yet," he offered softly. "I've managed to find myself plenty of enemies over the centuries."

"It's broken? Entirely?" Snow managed, her green eyes wide.

The former Dark One quirked an eyebrow up and felt Belle tighten her grip at his side. She seemed worried that he'd topple at any moment, and truth be told he hadn't given her any reason to believe differently. Even with his magic working furiously to counter the visions, sort them, and keep them manageable, there was nothing to say that they wouldn't simply burst through all at once as they had when he was speaking with Regina earlier.

"So what's the plan?" Bae asked, coming up on his left side. "We do have a plan, right?"

Emma snorted. "Love the confidence."

"Yeah, well, got to believe in something, right?"

Rumplestiltskin did his best to tune out the conversation that followed. There was something about horses and supplies that the royal couple they'd nearly landed on top of would send with them, but that didn't matter. Destroyed or not, he and Belle would return home to the Dark Castle. Bae could come with them, bringing Henry if he could manage to tear the lad away from his two mothers and Rumple could get things sorted as they needed to be. It had been a long time since he'd had the urge to simply be home, but now it was overwhelming. His shop and his three story house in Storybrooke - the closest thing to home he'd had, really, since those months with Belle in the Dark Castle - had been taken from him when Regina destroyed the Dark Curse, but he could recreate it in his own way here. He could make this work.

"Rumple?" Belle's voice broke through his own thoughts and he found himself blinking at her, completely oblivious to what had been asked. He found that her eyes weren't the only ones trained on him now, and he looked around in an uncomfortable manner. "We'll be going with them, won't we?" she pressed, squeezing his hand in her own.

"Going… To Regina's castle?" he asked, the words clumsy and thick coming from his lips.

"Isn't that what we were discussing earlier?" his former student asked. "Get with it, Rumple."

He bit back a sharp reply even as the walls began to quake again in his mind. Images slipped through, and he saw a face that he had not seen in many, many years. She wasn't that angry child of a girl anymore, though by the looks of her it was simply that she was not a child. Her anger and bitterness must have only grown, as it had permanently marred her features, but as the vision zeroed in - tunnel visioned - he could see the smirk she only wore when she thought she'd won. She stood on the balcony of Regina's castle, making claims to the Evil Queens domain.

"Rumple?" Belle's voice cut through again, pulling him back before he lost himself in it, and as he blinked his eyes open he found several pair of various shades watching him curiously.

Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat and turned directly on Regina. "Did you not set up some form of protection around the castle before casting the curse?"

"Of course I did."

"Not enough, apparently. Your castle isn't empty."

"I thought your magic was gone. How would you know that?" Snow asked, and he thought he might have heard a hint of accusation in the princess' voice.

"My curse is gone," he corrected with a hand flittering in the air. "That hardly does away with three centuries' worth of study, m'dear, and my visions are still..." He was going to have to get control of this and fast. He couldn't keep getting sucked into them mid sentence. It just wouldn't do. He forced himself out of it before he fell too deep, taking what he needed and shoving the rest behind hastily built barriers. It was a warning. They were not alone.

"Gold?" Emma called.

"Yes yes," he snapped, dark gaze moving about to try to catch sight of what had set the warning off. He felt Belle stiffen at his side, but he didn't dare reach out to her. There was no reason to announce her importance to him. Especially if their visitor was who he thought it was. A small smile made its way to his lips as the bits if magic he'd let go to search found what he was looking for. "Come on out, dearie. It's not nice to spy on people."

The others looked around, likely thinking he'd finally cracked under everything. Even Bae was reaching for him, a worried look making its way onto his face, but he stopped short at a laugh that echoed around them, shrill and unpleasant, and Rumple didn't miss that Prince Philip and his princess seemed to recognize it and shrank immediately back. There was a whirl of green smoke, theatrical and he would have thought - if he hadn't used it so many times himself - a bit over the top. She appeared, her green skin contrasted by her brightly painted lips that were still parted in a laugh, and her wild red hair that had been piled under a gaudy black hat. "Hello, Rumple," she greeted. "What _have_ you done with yourself?"

It wasn't Rumplestiltskin that answered, though, but Regina. "That's my dress."

The green skinned woman swiveled, her smirk instantly twitching, but somehow she managed to retain it. "Looks better on me, don't you think?" she purred instead. "As does your castle."

The Evil Queen stiffened. "I sealed those wards with Blood Magic. There's no way you could have broken those."

"Oh?" she chirped, glancing back at Rumplestiltskin. "Didn't you tell her?"

"Tell me what?" Regina demanded.

"Why, who I am, of course. Rumple, you really shouldn't keep secrets from your _favourite_ student." She did little to hide the spite that coloured her voice at the end. She lifted her nose in the air a bit, looking down on Regina. "No one ever told you, did they? They gave you everything and told you _nothing_."

"Who the hell is she, Rumple?" Regina growled.

"Cora's first born," Rumplestiltskin answered soberly. He'd hoped never to be the one to have this conversation. Cora certainly wouldn't have, he knew, because she would never admit to her first child. It would have risked too much. "Zelena is Cora's first born."

Zelena flashed a dangerous smile. "Hello, Sis."

"Been away a long time, Zelena. What brings you back to the Enchanted Forest? Oz begin to bore you?"

"Oh, I've been back for quite a while now." He didn't miss the way her eyes flickered over to the royals that had retreated earlier. "It's _you_ that's been away." She frowned, eyes roaming up and down. "This does put a bit of a damper on my plans."

"And what were those?" he asked with an easy smile. She was playing a game and that was something he could keep up with, powers or no. His magic was thoroughly tied up again, keeping those visions put safely back and only allowing anything through if it were desperately necessary. He had no intention of sparking a physical or - in the worst case - magical confrontation with his former student, but he needed to know what she wanted. Her presence in the Enchanted Forest meant nothing good for any of them. She'd always had an unhealthy sort of obsession with him, after all.

She leaned in, unintimidated by his calm. "Oh such plans," she purred silkily, eyes flashing behind him. "I see you found him."

Rumplestiltskin's heart must have stopped in his chest as she circled around him. Bae. Bae was standing just behind him. He crushed the panic - he couldn't show it to her, couldn't let her know just how vulnerable he was at that moment - and turned slowly. His son had straightened his stance, but hadn't stepped away. Baelfire had always been so brave in the face of evil.

"And I see you brought me a present."

"I don't know who you are, lady-"

"Oh, did you think I meant you?"

Magic swirled, green and smokey, and suddenly Pandora's Box appeared in her open palm. Bae's eyes went wide, but before he could jump forward he was thrown back, landing hard and taking several others down with him. Rumplestiltskin didn't think, he only reacted, used to bottomless power at his fingertips and he pulled from it, finding a far shallower pool. The attack he launched at his former pupil was nothing compared to what it should have been - or even what he expected - but it knocked her back, sending her skidding so that her boots kicked up dirt and grass until she stopped. She still held tight to the box and her painted lips quirked. "That the best you've got? Should have chosen power, Rumple. It would have saved you a lot of heartache… and otherwise."

Rumplestiltskin had always had a habit of using a distraction to draw gazes away when he needed to, but he wasn't fond of being _used_ as one. Zelena's magic slammed into him, throwing him across the field and sending him tumbling and skidding, finally landing on his back in the dirt. He pulled himself up almost immediately, but she was gone, with Regina's attack following after and only leaving a divot the size of a kick ball in the grass, a snarl following behind it.

She whirled on him, turning her anger there. "She has the _box_!"

"I'm well aware that she has the box," Rumple answered, pulling himself all the way to his feet. If he'd thought that he was hurting before, the ache was setting deeper and he had to focus not to sway. He caught the breach in his walls that he'd been trying to construct and there were new cracks throughout them. A deep breath seemed to solidify them just a little and he widened his stance. He didn't have a chance to argue his point though, when his grandson stepped between them.

"Guys! We can't fight. We're on the same side. We've got to work together."

"She has Pan," Snow managed. "If she lets him out…."

"We'll deal with it, just like we always do," Charming answered his wife's stricken acknowledgement. "We won't let her take our home."

"I'm afraid she's already done that," Rumple answered with a glance in his son's direction. Bae wasn't hurt, just a bit thrown off by the magical burst. "She's taken up residence in Regina's castle. That is not your point of destination, not until you've regrouped. Rushing at Zelena without a point of attack is foolish. Best to find somewhere else to go in the meantime."

"Mary Margaret and I've been to their castle, though," Emma said. "It's in ruins."

"She's right," Snow agreed. "We can't go there."

"So where?"

"Grandpa has a castle, right?" Henry asked, his dark eyes fixated on Rumplestiltskin. "The Dark Castle is what my book called it."

Rumple felt eyes turn on him and the protest bubbled somewhere deep in his chest. He didn't want this crowd - this group of self-proclaimed heroes - mulling around _his_ castle. That was his home. Belle was welcome. Bae was welcome, and maybe even Henry and a couple of others if they really needed to go, but he couldn't imagine - _refused_ to imagine - housing all of these people in his castle, and that's what the Charmings were going to to ask of him. He could see it in Snow White's doe-eyed expression and her husband's ideas coming together of how he could help his people. At Rumplestiltskin's expense with nothing in the way of compensation, of course.

"It's in shambles, but it's still better than what Emma's described as Mary Margaret and David's castle. They're welcome there, right, Pop?"

Bae's gaze was direct and Rumple wasn't sure if his son was pushing or if he'd simply said it and added the request as an afterthought. What was he supposed to do now? Something he was quickly learning was that he could deny his son nothing, just like Belle. When she too turned an imploring look towards him, his shoulders sagged. "I suppose I have little choice in the matter," he grumbled at last.

Snow beamed. "Thank you."

"I'll round up the others. We'll start for the Dark Castle immediately," David agreed.

As they scattered, Belle clutched his hand. "It'll be okay," she promised and he felt Bae's hand come down on his shoulder.

"Thanks, Papa."

"You didn't give me much of a choice, son."

"Yeah, well, it was still the right thing to do. We need to stick together."

Rumple couldn't find it in himself to protest, but felt at least a little comfort as Bae squeezed his shoulder in an affectionate gesture. At least his family was coming home with him, even if they were bringing most of Storybrooke with them.

* * *

Zelena appeared reappeared in her sister's castle in a swirl of magic and smoke, a small, blue-green box clutched in one hand. She peered at it curiously, holding it in her open palm. It looked like nothing when compared to some of the great magical pieces that the Enchanted Forest had to offer, but she could feel the power that was wrapped into every symbol, every lock. The jewel on top was dull and barely risked catching the light off of the afternoon sun as she turned it over, studying it.

Since returning to the place of her birth, the so-called Wicked Witch had found many treats left behind by those whisked away by the Curse to End All Curses. She'd managed to get past her former mentor's broken down protection spells and into his castle a couple of times already, searching through his storerooms and taking anything that she thought might be useful. She hadn't found what she'd been looking for, though, and from what she'd seen of him with the others it would have done her little good. She'd never known him outside of his curse, but those dark eyes were strange indeed. It had been the only way she'd recognized the boy-turned-man that he'd been desperate enough to find that he'd manipulated her half-sister into casting his curse for him - something she'd been ready and willing to do herself, no manipulation necessary. If his curse was broken as it did appear at first glance, the Kris Dagger was worthless to her. She would have to find another way to use him, and she knew no other mind would do for her purpose.

This little contraption, though, that she held in her hand was truly curious. If it was what she thought it was it might just hold something that frightened both the precious little heroes and the Dark One all together. Pandora's Box was said to have the ability to house the most dangerous, the most powerful of beings. The locks spun shut and nothing on the inside could make its way out again. She had uses for a box like that, but - perhaps more importantly - she might be able to find a use unseen for the thing kept inside.

Zelena tipped her free hand over it, palm open and facing it, and her magic that had always come so naturally to her worked the power little box open. The mechanisms creaked and the locks spun open, letting loose a red smoke that filtered out, collecting in the form of a boy. He must have been trying to get away when Rumplestiltskin and the others had trapped him, but his blue eyes came to focus very slowly on her and she couldn't decide if her lips wanted to quirk upward or down. "And who are you supposed to be?" she sneered at last, taking in his tattered clothing. He hardly looked a threat.

The boy took one look at her and she couldn't help but feel he was sizing her up for a moment before a smirk pulled at him. "I'm Peter Pan."

* * *

TBC

Notes: Next time - A familiar outlaw helps in a fight against flying monkeys while Zelena and Pan discuss an alliance.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three.**

Belle had dreamt of the day that his curse would break, but they'd always been pleasant dreams that freed Rumplestiltskin of chains that weighed him down and the release would allow him to be the man that she was sure that he'd always wanted to be. They could have had their happily ever after with or without the curse, she'd finally decided, but without opened so many doors for him. Apparently it shattered some windows too.

He hadn't spoken much as they traveled, instead pulling into himself and shutting the world out. That, of course, suited many of their traveling companions very well, but it set an uncomfortable feeling deep in Belle's chest as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't quite place it, because he didn't look particularly ill, but the lines in his face were just a little deeper, the strain just a bit more pronounced. No one else would have noticed it, and she didn't think his son did as he seemed very caught up in a sword fight - with long sticks playing the role of the swords - with Henry as they walked. Emma, thankfully, had managed to obtain some more suitable clothing than the curse's reversal had delivered her in, and while Aurora had not had trousers in her size, at least her current dress, much like Belle's own, wasn't made of so many layers that she couldn't move.

The blue eyed beauty pulled in a deep breath and looped her arm through her love's, catching his attention. His dark eyes flickered over briefly to her before returning to the sometimes road, sometimes path in front of them. It would have been less than a day's journey to Regina's castle, but with the load they carried, his was a bit further to his own. The fact that it was set in the mountains didn't help matters.

"Talk to me," Belle murmured as she tightened her hold on his arm and laid her head against his shoulder as they walked.

She couldn't see it, but she could almost feel him quirk an eyebrow at her. "About what, exactly?"

"Anything. You're brooding."

"I am not-"

"Yes you are. I know you're not happy with this, but we can make it work. Your castle is the safest place for everyone right now. The barriers are already in place, right? You'll just need to reactivate them?"

"Some should have remained through the curse," Rumplestiltskin agreed, "and the others will re-activate as soon as I step foot on the property."

"It'll be nice to be home."

Rumple sighed and she felt the tension ease a little. "It will." He slowed his pace then and she felt his eyes on her. "Go on."

"Go on what?" she asked innocently.

"I know you, Belle. You have questions. Ask them, and I will do my best to be honest with you about it if I know the answer."

A rush of warmth pushed through her and she resisted the urge to simply stop on the side of the road. No one was paying attention to them - he wouldn't have opened it up in this way if they were - and he'd given her a free pass. The problem was that she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to know. It had all happened so fast and now she was looking at the very human face of the man she loved, returning to the castle that she considered home, and for the first time it occurred to her that she'd never known him entirely without his curse. Was he a different man out from under it or had he always retained enough of himself through it that at his core he had always been Rumplestiltskin? The silly, childish part of her had always thought that the good in him, the things that she loved most about him, were all pre-curse Rumple, but that the moments that he lashed out and the darkness that stormed within him was entirely the curse. People were never so clearly cut and as she looked at him now, she didn't know what to think. He didn't _seem_ different, not really. A bit tired, a bit worn, but most certainly her Rumple.

"I don't know," she breathed at last. "I suppose… I just don't know what to expect."

He pulled a long breath in through his nose, eyes focused on the path in front of them. They were coming up on the village that sat at the bottom of the mountain and David had announced not long before that the plan was to find as many rooms as they could for the night and the rest could make camp if that's what it came to. After a moment, Rumplestiltskin let the breath back out and the words came with it. "Nor do I. I never honestly thought about breaking my curse. Bae wanted it so very badly when he was a boy, but it frightened me more than I would have ever admitted to. I needed power to protect him. Then I lost him and I needed the power to find him. I can still… feel the magic moving around us and I should be able to start experimenting with my own limits shortly, but until then I have no way of knowing what my boundaries are. The curse provided a bottomless well of power, and from this point forward, I'll be pulling it from myself just as any other mortal sorcerer does."

Belle stifled a laugh. Of course his mind would automatically go to the limits of his own _magical_ capabilities, not his personality or anything that she would have thought of as his core. Perhaps breaking the curse really hadn't changed him much at all. He had called magic his crutch once, but she wondered if there had been times in his life when it had been more than that. Those quiet moments between searching for his lost son and when silly mortals would pop in and out of his life. Had magic been all he had to keep him company? "That's not quite what I meant," she murmured, the smile making it into his voice.

He chuckled and his free hand came up to cover hers that was looped through his arm. "Are you asking if I will be an entirely different person now? Some hero like that lot?" he asked, obviously amused by the notion. "I should hope that's not what you're looking for, m'dear, or I fear I shall disappoint you more than usual."

She swatted at him. "You don't dissapoint me. Please don't say things like that. I love all of you, just like I said earlier."

"I've never understood it, either," he answered softly and pulled her hand up to his lips to press a kiss to the back of it. "There's always been a darkness moving within me, Belle, demanding the price be paid for the power it gave me. The curse is gone now, but I won't ever be the man I was before it."

"Everyone grows with their experiences, Rumple. That's life."

"Perhaps it is," her love said with a smile. He tensed then, his smile immediately fading and she followed his gaze. The town was just coming into view ahead of them and they could see that the smoke rising from it wasn't from any kitchen fire.

"My word," Belle breathed as she cupped her hands over her mouth in horror. The village was smoldering, the fires that had laid waste to it mostly out by this point, but as they drew nearer the smell grew less and less pleasant.

"It's like what Cora did," Emma said as the moved closer, her eyes wide.

"Except there's no coming back with this lot," Hook answered.

"Henry, why don't you wait until we know what's going on," Regina directed, eyeing the smoke suspiciously.

Belle turned, finding a similar expression touching her love's face. "Unnatural fires," he explained as he took a step closer. "Setting him apart from everyone won't keep him safe, dear. Not if whatever caused them is still lingering."

"Stay close, buddy," Bae told his son and Henry nodded. He was surrounded by his two mothers and his father, and as they moved, Belle noticed that Rumple was shifting closer as well.

"What could have done this?" David called, his sword ready for anything that came near.

"Magic," Regina confirmed and glanced over to Rumple.

He nodded. "Zelena's magic, I'd wager. She's sending a message."

"What sort of message?" his grandson asked.

"Nothing pleasant." They'd crossed into the small village that they had to pass through to take the trail up to the Dark Castle and there was no denying that the forms they'd seen were charred and unmoving former residents. It was like someone had taken a torch to them, burning them alive where they stood.

A screeching sound ripped through the air and their traveling party looked up as what looked like monkeys came flying towards them, eyes gleaming and teeth bared.

* * *

"Peter Pan?" Zelena echoed, staring at the boy. She'd heard of the demon child of Neverland in the vaguest of ways, but she knew little of him beyond the stories. He certainly didn't look like much in his rags and his wild blue eyes. _He_ thought he was something, though, certainly, and that smirk hadn't faded. It made the witch's red-painted lips twitch downward in a pouty frown. "Am I supposed to be impressed?"

"You should be," the boy answered with a shrug. He turned on his heel, gaze sweeping over the room. "We're in the Enchanted Forest. Regina reversed the curse."

"And brought all of those pathetic fools with her."

"Bit sour over that, are we, lass?" Pan asked as he strode over to the balcony and leaned against the railing. "I may be able to help you in that, if you're willing to help me, of course."

"I'm sorry, did you just miss the part where I released you?"

"Oh? Did you want thanks? You're not going to get anything in life if you stop to wait for a thank you for every little thing."

She paused. Who the hell was this child? There was some sort of power in him, as if he were soaking it up from the very land itself. She watched him as he moved, tilting his head in one direction until his neck popped loudly before following with the same motion on the opposite side. He stretched his long limbs out before turning his gaze back to her. "It _was_ a bit cramped in there, I have to admit. I'll have it back now, if you don't mind."

Zelena stared at his extended hand and snorted. "I think not. Everything comes at a price, and mine for releasing you is this box. Unless you'd like to spend more time in it until I find my uses for it."

The perpetual smirk finally faltered and a small frown took it's place. "You've been chatting with Rumple about prices."

"You know Rumplestiltskin?"

"Know him well, lass," Pan said, the smirk returning instantly. "Better than you, I'd wager."

This perked her interest. Her plan had been so well laid out, but something had changed it. The planning stage had been long and tedious, but that had been no matter with the Enchanted Forest frozen for nearly thirty years. It had given her time to work everything out and seek out exactly what she wanted and needed for her spell. She'd found the four ingredients needed to cast it, and then had done what Rumplestiltskin had taught her to do when missteps were not an option: she'd set the board. Very few people that didn't have the natural gift of Sight had the ability to pull on their magic for glimpses of the future, but she had always been special. She'd found a spell that allowed her to See their return and Snow White and her lovely little prince would have a baby. It was that baby that was the key. There had been pieces she didn't understand - Rumple always did say that the future was like a puzzle - but they were insignificant in the end. She would control his dagger and therefore she would control the Dark One. She'd planned to ask him what those pieces meant once she found some poor, desperate soul to resurrect him from the Vault of the Dark One.

But then he'd come through with the rest. He was whole, alive, and so very human. She'd felt the pulse of light magic - True Love magic - that had swept through the land and she wondered if that was it. If so, she needed to find the woman that had ruined her well laid plans and find an appropriate punishment for her. Nothing would stop her from casting her spell, not even someone that could have won the heart of the Dark One.

Now Zelena needed a new approach. Snow White would still have her child, she was sure, but controlling Rumple would be difficult without his connection to his dagger, and if his curse was truly broken, then the connection had been severed. She needed his mind, after all, that brilliant, calculating brain of his that never stopped working. His brain, her sister's resilient heart, and she was leaning towards Snow's prince's courage. If this boy was telling the truth - and that seemed less and less likely as she looked at the haughty expression he seemed to wear at all times - then he might have a new bit of knowledge that could get her closer to controlling the Dark One…. or not Dark One, whatever he was now. Even so, as she looked him up and down, her better judgement whispered warnings in her mind. "I don't trust you."

Pan grinned widely. "First smart thing you've said yet."

"He never mentioned you."

"Wouldn't expect that he would, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that I can help you get to him."

"How?"

"In ways that no one else can."

Her next question was cut off by a screech and a monkey flew in to land on the balcony railing. They'd made it as far as the village at the bottom of the Forbidden Mountain. So they were going to Rumple's castle. Interesting.

Zelena let a slow, guarded smile cross her lips. "And what do you get for this alliance, Peter Pan?"

"Oh, just a bit of fun," the child demon answered, his face lit with a grin. "But what you should really be asking yourself is what do _you_ get out of it."

* * *

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Regina grunted as she dodged claws reaching out for her, barely avoiding them. She threw an attack at the monkey, clipping one of its feathery wings and sending it spiralling into a tree. It howled, the sound making her ears hurt and she turned to the others.

Many of their traveling party were not suited for battle and had scattered. Some, though, were used to taking what was thrown at them. Charming had a sword in hand and was swiping at another monkey and Snow, while she didn't have her usual bow and arrow, was at least armed with a small knife. Emma was handling the dress better than she had been, sticking close to Henry, as was Neal who looked just as unhappy as Regina felt at the prospect of a child's worst nightmare come to life.

Rumplestiltskin, for what it was worth, was lobbing a fireball in another monkey's direction. "Got your feet back under you, Rumple?" she called and saw the smirk tug his lips.

"Working on it."

The reply didn't instill nearly as much confidence as she'd hoped, but it could have been the fact that for every monkey that they were bringing down, more seemed to be crawling out of the woodwork. Literally. They were pulling themselves from the burnt remains of houses and bakeries and what might have been a tavern at one point. A quick rush of magic sent to search pulled both the monkeys' attention and an answer that she really didn't want. "These are the people that lived here," she managed, the shock of the realization colouring her voice.

"What were?" Emma called back, swatting at one with a board that was smoldering on the opposite end.

"The monkeys."

Even Rumple turned to her at that, but if she'd known the announcement would have distracted them all to the degree that it did, she would have kept it to herself. She didn't know when Henry had moved just a few feet away from her, but they'd kept him mostly between those willing to give their lives for his protection. It didn't help that the creatures flew and one dipped down and caught him by the arm, lifting him into the air. A cry left her lips, but she couldn't reach from him, and pulling him from their grasp through her magic seemed impossible.

The monkey squealed as it climbed higher and higher, Henry struggling against it all the way. Regina could see her son pulling at the claws digging into his shoulders and Emma's worthless cry rang in her ears. The blonde could do nothing without having tapped into her magic and Regina's magic could do nothing without risking her son's life. She looked desperately to Rumple whose attention was on a monkey that had come too close to Belle. He seemed half aware that his grandson had been taken, but was desperately pulled, and that within itself at the moment could be dangerous. She'd never seen him look quite as worn, quite as torn in his power as he did in that moment, as if trying to push his magic in both direction would have utterly done him in and left him with nothing.

Regina's cry was cut short as the monkey suddenly dropped her son and Henry all but landed in her arms, Emma and Neal rushing over immediately, almost causing a pile in their haste. Amazing what the love of a child could bring in.

The monkey came crashing down, hitting the ground and skidding until it flopped out, an arrow buried deeply in its heart. Henry was left in the pile of parents, breathing hard and eyes wide. "Woh," he managed and Regina and Emma were on him almost at once, arms wrapped around and not caring if the other might be intruding on the moment. Their son was safe.

"You okay, kid?" Emma asked.

"I think so," Henry managed.

Neal reached out to his son, hand going to the side of his face briefly before looking up into the trees. "Where did the arrow come from? None of our people had bows."

Regina's eyes followed his. The monkeys were clearing now, screeching and crying as they left, perhaps even called back by what must have been their green-skinned master. When they cleared, several men could be seen crouching in the trees, their bows pulled taught and ready for any further advancements against the humans below. One man in particular - their leader, by the looks of him - dropped down off a lower hanging branch. "Is the lad alright?" he asked, worry evident.

"Yeah, I'm great. You shot him out of the sky!"

The blond man, dressed in ragged clothes that had certainly seen better days, smiled and turned his eyes directly on Regina as she put an arm around her adopted son. "M'lady," he greeted.

The former Evil Queen did not return the smile, instead she clutched Henry closer to her. "It's _Your Majesty_," she corrected.

The archer simply stared, unsure of what to say before Snow stepped forward, all grace and diplomacy. "Thank you, for saving my grandson's life. We're in your debt…."

"Robin," the archer introduced himself, giving a bow, "of Locksley."

"Woh!" Henry managed from Regina's arms. "Robin Hood?"

The blond chuckled. "Some have called me that, yes. And who might you be, lad?"

"I'm Henry Mills."

"You're son?" Robin Hood asked Regina.

"Yes," Regina answered taughtly.

"Quite a brave boy."

Henry's eyes went wide. "Robin Hood thinks I'm brave!"

Snow smiled at that, but pushed forward. "Thank you, Robin of Locksley, to you and your men. We owe you our lives. I am Snow White and this-"

"We know who you are, M'lady-"

"And who _she_ is," one of the rogue's men said, gesturing towards Regina.

"-but we were under the impression that you and the others were taken to a far-off land."

"We just made it back," Snow answered. "We were on our way to the Dark Castle to regroup when these… monkeys attacked us."

"The Dark Castle?" Robin Hood asked. "If all of you have come back, it's likely the Dark One has come back as well. He may not react well to his home being intruded upon."

"Oh, he's not fond of the idea, but it's well known at least," Rumplestiltskin said from the back of the crowd, Robin turning to look at him.

"I'm… sorry?" the blond asked, looking very much like he thought he recognized the dark eyed man.

The two exchanged a look before Neal stepped forward. "We're good, Robin. He knows."

"Baelfire."

"Hey."

"I don't… understand," the thief said slowly.

"Bit of a long story," the former Dark One acknowledged.

"Very well then." Robin of Locksley turned his attention to Snow and to Regina. "M'lady, Your Majesty, I'd like to offer an escort to the castle. The world is much changed since you've been away, and my men and I are happy to accompany you."

"We'd very much appreciate that," Snow White answered with one of her beaming smiles as Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes,

"Just great," he growled. "More people in my home. Uninvited."

"Papa," Bae murmured about the same time that Belle shot him a look that made him relent.

Henry, though, was still ecstatic, even if he was also still clutched in Regina's protective arms. "Mom, it's _Robin Hood_!"

The former Evil Queen sighed. "Yes, Henry. Yes it is."

* * *

TBC

Notes: In the next chapter - They finally make it to the Dark Castle, Snow and Belle discuss politics, and Rumplestiltskin asks Belle a question she's been waiting to hear for some time.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four.**

Rumplestiltskin had built the Dark Castle not long after Bae had been pulled through the portal. He'd been alone and he couldn't stand to remain in the Frontlands any longer without his son at his side. The place that he'd once refused to leave had held nothing for him then and he'd run. He was good at running, after all. Nearly as good at running as he was at being left behind.

The castle hadn't been welcoming, but that really hadn't been its purpose in the beginning. If it had been, he certainly wouldn't have chosen the Forbidden Mountain to set the stones against each other or laid down quite so many traps to ensnare visitors - not that there were any - that weren't there to deal. It had been built to be large, lonely, and silent. It would have remained so until the end of time, he imagined, had he not made a deal he'd never Seen and never made arrangements for. It had been a whim, really, that had caused him to bring back the woman that had changed his life. He really hadn't known what he was getting into.

And now, he still wasn't entirely sure what he'd gotten himself into.

They'd left the smoldering remains of the town behind for his castle, adding to their numbers with Robin Hood and his men. The thief seemed to have accepted the truth that the gold-skinned, reptilian-eyed Dark One that had once nearly killed him and then let him go was the same small, unimposing man that was traveling with Belle now on his arm instead of in his employ - service - and his son by his side. They watched him warily, but he paid them little mind as they moved closer to the castle, Rumplestiltskin reaching out to find his own wards feeding him information. They recognized him as he moved forward, something that he hadn't risked telling Belle he wasn't sure would happen. He had used entirely dark magic to put up the wards and it was meant to read him as the Dark One - not just him - and he felt it give as he walked through the layer just outside the gates, followed closely by Bae, Emma, Henry, and the others.

His grandson was nearly bouncing, undeterred by the exceedingly long day and the fact that they'd lost the sun hours before. "It's a castle! It's a _real_ castle!" He turned, his eyes large and dark and full of youthful excitement. "Can I go in?"

"Of course you can, lad."

"You've brought the wards down?" Charming asked.

"Some," the former Dark One answered. "It would be foolish to bring them all down. Wouldn't want just anyone walking in, would we?"

"And… you really don't mind us staying here?" the blond prince murmured, those that might have guilted Rumplestiltskin into kinder words out of earshot. Apparently he really did want the honest answer then.

The gates let loose a terrible sound as they opened, allowing their master and his guests passage through them and into the front courtyard. "Well, we're here now, aren't we?" he grumbled instead, but the bite didn't quite make it into his voice as Henry went tearing forward, calling out about the various things he had found. Bae was with him, while Emma followed at a slower pace - though no less mesmerized, by the looks of her - between Snow White and a wary looking Regina. Rumple had thought the Evil Queen had tried to get into his castle while he'd been imprisoned in the mines before their curse. Now he was sure of it by the way she drifted carefully away from certain hidden traps. He'd let her know that they wouldn't harm her now… eventually. No need to rush.

"What a dump."

Rumplestiltskin turned, dark eyes flashing dangerously. The Dark Curse hadn't been kind to his home, certainly, but he could guarantee it was in better shape than Snow's castle and certainly safer at the moment than Regina's. An irritated snarl tore from him even as Hook shrugged.

"No hard feelings, mate. I just would have thought the Dark One would have protected his possessions a bit better."

"He's not the Dark One anymore," Belle said, suddenly at his side. She'd disappeared briefly to make sure the stragglers were on their way. There was no reason for anyone to be shut out of the gates when the wards were all put back into place. They hadn't brought everyone with them from Storybrooke, certainly, as some wished to try their hand at returning to their own homes and Snow White and her prince weren't the types to demand anything else of them. They offered what protection they could to those that wished to have it, but the others could leave as freely as they wish. Amongst those that had gone, thankfully, were most of the fairies.

"Curse hit before you kissed him, lass," Hook shot back. "I'm just saying-"

"You're always _just saying_," Rumple snapped. "Perhaps you could do so elsewhere. Not quite sure who invited you along in the first place."

"I did," Emma answered firmly. "Killian was willing to risk his life for us in Neverland. We owe him this."

"I owe him _nothing_," the owner of the Dark Castle shot back. "Next time you decide to to make offers to your schoolgirl crushes, Miss Swan, do so on your own account."

The blonde, to her credit, said nothing as she watched Rumplestiltskin storm past her through the dead and brittle gardens and up the crumbling steps. The doors were intact, at least, and he sent them flying open, not bothering to care if using magic might prove unpredictable and draining at the moment. He'd take his time exploring his new limitations once he was in the safety of his own space and away from prying eyes. Camping with the Charmings indeed. He was already at his limit.

Belle was behind him and others followed behind her more tentatively. He slowed his pace only so that he could make sure that the wards were truly still obeying his commands. The spells had been set long ago and they took little to twist to his will. He _felt_ Snow and Charming enter behind them, Emma huffing in annoyance as she came through as well, and then Killian Jones made his go at entering. A sharp cracking sound split the air and the pirate captain was thrown back so that he was sent skidding across the tattered concrete and into a brickley and dead bush. He came up howling and Rumple tried to contain the smile that threatened, managing only to keep it to a smirk as Hook yelled at him. "That was petty, crocodile, even for you!"

"Rumple," Belle murmured, though her expression was not quite as admonishing as it might have been had she had her heart in it.

His smile had faded though, and he whirled so that he could shout his reply directly at the man in question. "Petty, Captain? That was a lesson, and one I suggest you learn quickly should you wish to stay. This is _my_ home and _I_ choose who enters." He shot a glare in Emma's direction, instantly silencing both she and her mother before they could argue. "Enjoy the courtyard for the night and be thankful I don't toss you outside the protection spells for Zelena to play with."

Rumplestiltskin turned towards the stairs that led up to the west wing of his castle. He was exhausted and he could feel himself fading quickly. Ripping a centuries' old curse from one's soul was no easy task - even if it had been banished by the strongest form of magic known to all the realms - and he'd been fighting to get his mental barriers in place for his own protection. He needed sleep. Probably quite a bit of sleep. What he didn't need, though, was a mouthy pirate and a princess that knew nothing of their world trying to defend him.

"Rumplestiltskin?"

Or her mother, trying to defend her in turn. "_What_?" the former Dark One growled.

Snow White pulled in a deep breath. "It's late and these people do need places to sleep. You're right: this is _your_ castle. So where do _you_ want them to go?"

"They can sleep in the main hall for all I care."

"There are plenty of rooms up that staircase there," Belle said sensibly, directing the statement to Snow. "The eastern wing should have a good number of beds for those that need them, and the castle has a habit of… accommodating for what is needed." She turned back to Rumple. "Will it still?"

"The Dark Curse did some damage. I have no way of knowing how much just yet," he answered, his tone softer than it had been. The anger had rushed out and left him feeling drained.

"If there's overflow, we can put them in the library. It's in the east wing as well. We'll get everyone settled." She turned to him now, tipping up on her toes and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. He blinked tiredly at her and hated that he knew what that meant. She wouldn't be coming up with him. "Get some rest," she murmured the affirmation, "and I'll be up in a bit."

"Make sure they don't go… snooping," he grumbled, eyes scanning the crowd.

"I promise."

Despite everything, Rumplestiltskin felt a smile tug into place and he lifted a hand to her cheek, fingers touching her auburn hair. She wasn't in such a hurry to jump into the chaos that she didn't meet him in the middle, the kiss sending a flood of light through his stained soul. There was such love in her eyes when they parted and he was reminded, as he was so very often by her sheer presence, that he could never do anything to deserve her. He could only try to be better for her. "I love you," he whispered softly.

"And I love you," she answered. "I'll be up when everything's set. Get some rest."

He stood on the stairs and watched as she turned back to the dark haired princess and her blond prince. It took a moment before he could finally tear himself away and slowly climb the stairs. She would take care of the details. She was the only one he could trust to do so.

* * *

There were fewer hours until sunrise then had passed since sunset when Belle and the others finished directing people. While many had returned to their own villages, they'd been left with hundreds that were seeking refuge in fear of the rumours that were already spreading about the so-called Wicked Witch from the land of Oz. Others, like Aurora and Philip, had joined to try to help in the fight, though perhaps to see find a bit more safety from Zelena's threats as well. They'd huddled into the Dark Castle, spanning from the poorest of the land to other royals. She'd long since lost count of just how many there were and even the castle hadn't been able to compensate. She didn't know if it was just being stubborn or if the spell was glitching, thrown off by the Curse to End All Curses that had ripped through it when they'd all been pulled away.

Exhaustion was beginning to pull on even her nerves by the time they were done. Bae had stayed to help, seeming to feel some sense of responsibility even though he'd barely spent any time at all in the castle before that night. Emma had taken Henry up into the western wing once the boy had hit the end of his adrenaline rush and had crashed from it, and as Belle looked out over the people that had flooded into the foyer now, she decided that she would have to find a way to make Rumple accept that they were sharing that wing with those that they could consider family, at least. She knew he wouldn't be happy to have anyone other than Baelfire and perhaps Henry in his side of the castle - when she'd worked as his maid even she had barely been allowed into it, often rushed out with one excuse or another - but they would have to make do.

"Did you give your own room away?" Snow asked as they slowly made their way up the stairs. They'd sent those that had been willing to help coordinate the chaos up to bed one by one as they started to daze off and become less and less useful in their tasks.

"Oh, I wouldn't have bothered with it anyway. I'll stay with Rumple." She heard the elder woman pause and Belle turned, watching Snow White's expression change thoughtfully several times and it set a bit of surprise in her. She'd never seen her as the judgmental type and it was no secret that she'd lived with Rumple in his home in Storybrooke for a time at least.

"I hate politics," Snow said at last, seeming to deflate. She cast a glance around, as if making sure that they could speak freely, and she sagged against the stone wall.

"You think the nobles staying here will notice and make a fuss over it?"

"I think they'll make a fuss over anything they think they can get away with," Snow answered honestly. "They've been picked up out of one life, dropped in another, and then picked back up again. They're going to be clamouring for control and some won't like the idea of the Dark One - former or not - being their benefactor."

Belle couldn't help but snort. "Rumple's hardly offering that. We're in this together."

"Just… be careful, Belle. Don't give them a way to use you against him. They will try."

Court politics was nothing new to her, but she had played it on a small scale compared to what this could turn into. Several royal families had come with them, including Philip and his young wife Aurora, Prince Thomas and his family, and several others that she'd only heard mentioned. Though David and Mary Margaret stepped into a place of authority in Storybrooke, things could very easily be different here. They were young and sincere, of course, but some of the more power-hungry monarchs saw that as a weakness. They would be looking for weaknesses wherever they might find them in their allies, as well, and though the warning put Belle on the defensive, she knew it had been given out of friendship.

"Thank you," Belle murmured. "I shouldn't think that Rumple and I will receive too much grief from them once they realize that his curse being broken has only made him stronger."

"What makes you say that?" Snow asked, genuinely curious.

The blue eyed beauty smiled. "Our love is stronger than anything that they can throw at us."

The words might have seemed silly to someone that hadn't experienced True Love before, but Snow White's face lit up at them and she nodded her understanding. Belle bid her goodnight before slipping off to the room hidden behind a set of large, ornate doors. Or she would have slipped in, anyway, if the doors would budge. She leaned into them, knowing very well that this was Rumple's room even if she'd only seen it once and very briefly at that. He'd never wanted her cleaning it while she'd lived there with him and she'd only tried to sneak in once - she couldn't help that her curiosity had gotten the better of her - and he'd been furious. It wasn't like she'd made it past the blood magic he used to seal the room off anyway.

"Rumple?" she whispered when she was sure that Mary Margaret was safely behind her own door down the hallway. She waited before trying to jar the door open again. "Rumplestiltskin!"

The door didn't budge. It didn't even make a sound, as if she'd been a wind knocking at it instead of a person trying to gain the occupant's attention. She let out a long, heavy sigh and pressed her back to it, sliding down to the floor. She was exhausted, or perhaps beyond that point now. The day had been non stop. Pan had first enacted his curse just before dawn and they hadn't stopped since. They'd managed to switch Henry back into his real body and Rumple had captured his father. Regina destroyed the scroll and reversed the curse and they were all thrown back into the Enchanted Forest where Belle had helped break her True Love's own curse and they'd lost Pandora's Box to a witch that seemed to know Rumple - _that_ was something he hadn't been keen on talking about on their way there - before picking up and moving a good number of former Storybrooke citizens with them to the Dark Castle, avoiding flying monkeys on the way. All within about twenty-four hours. When she thought about it that way, Belle knew why she was so tired.

"You get locked out?"

She jumped, eyes flying open and staring into the shadowy hall. Baelfire came slowly into focus and he was grinning down at her. "Sorry," he offered.

"You just startled me is all," she murmured, picking herself up from the floor and dusting her dress off. "Yes, I do believe I have been, to answer your question. Rumple was so worn out when we got here that he probably would have scared half the people away if he hadn't gone to bed, but it seems that I can't get in now."

"Blood magic lock?"

"Probably. He is fond of it."

"Well, if it is, maybe I can help with that," Bae answered and stepped past her. He reached out and in the shadows Belle could see Rumplestiltskin in his son. They were so similar in so many ways, even if she thought Baelfire might be hesitant to admit it. It was the eyes, mostly, that were so close, and Henry had the same pair as his father and grandfather. Pan's, though, had been blue, Belle thought she remembered. Cold and calculating, not the same warm brown that Rumple, Bae, and Henry all shared.

The lock clicked and one of the double doors swung open. "There you go," Bae offered in a whisper, motioning inside.

The lights were low, but a lamp was still lit as if it were waiting on her. It cast just enough light that Belle and Bae could see Rumple lying on the bed, curled into himself so that he looked very small against it. The shadows that the dim light cast made it difficult to tell, but she thought as she stepped closer that she could see his brows drawn together and he was trembling, battling some demon in a dream. Perhaps still battling the one that had resided inside of him for so very long.

Bae didn't leave immediately, obviously seeing what Belle had seen and he stepped in behind her even as she crossed the space to the bed. She knelt down on it, brushing aside grey-streaked hair so that she could see her love's face more clearly. "Rumple?" she whispered and he relaxed at her touch.

Those dark eyes blinked open and came to focus on her. "Belle," he murmured by way of greeting and it looked like he was trying to work something through his mind. He made it as far as to prop himself up on his elbow before turning to the door, seeing his son there and hummed a small sound of acknowledgement, looking guilty even as he did. "I locked you out, didn't I?"

"It's okay. Bae let me in."

"Thank you, Bae."

"I just helped your girlfriend break into your room through blood magic. That definitely gets marks for weird if nothing else."

Rumple blinked tiredly, but Bae's grin seemed to settle him out of any confusion quickly enough. "Thank you," he said again and Belle shifted, pulling back the sheets as she did.

"You'll… watch after him, right?" Bae asked, still lingering.

"Of course."

"I'm next door, so just call if you need anything." The offer was a bit awkward, but there was worry in his eyes as the young man watched his father slip almost instantly back into sleep.

"I promise I will," Belle answered him softly.

When he was gone and the door shut behind him, she set to maneuvering Rumplestiltskin actually _in_ to the bed instead of just on top of it. He let her move him, almost like a limp doll, and a little coaxing even received an automatic reaction for the effort. Thankfully he'd managed to take off his boots before collapsing onto the bed, so that hadn't been an issue, but as she bent to remove her own shoes she heard him shift under the thick covers and found him watching her quietly. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," he murmured back.

"How're you feeling?"

"Fuzzy," he answered honestly.

"You're exhausted. I would think that'd be expected after today. Were you able to build up those walls for your visions you were talking about?"

"Mm. Mostly. I should have them well enough in place tomorrow to start freeing up some of my magic to find out where I stand."

"Don't push yourself," Belle said as she pulled back the covers and climbed in, her face sinking down against a pillow that should have been covered in dust, but felt more like a cloud. A very, very comfortable cloud.

"Have to. Zelena won't wait, and if she has Pan… It can't wait."

"You won't do anyone any good if you're not at your best."

"Have to protect my family," he murmured, and she thought he was fading off again. After a moment though his eyes slid back open and they watched her carefully. "I love you."

This pulled a small laugh from her. "I love you too."

"I never want to live without you," Rumple confessed, his words slurred very slightly with exhaustion and Belle thought her heart might stop in her chest. He reached out, one hand on the side of her face and his fingers tangled in her hair as they lay facing each other. "I know I'm not a good man, Belle. I'll never be the man that you deserve, even outside of the curse. I'm a coward and I'm weak and… and I have nothing I can really offer you other than my love. I can't even promise you safety now. I-"

"Rumple," she whispered, lifting her head up from the cloudy pillow to press her lips against his, quieting him. When they parted, a smile pulled at her lips and she blinked back tears that threatened. His gaze was so honest and open in that moment and she feared that he wouldn't even remember the discussion in the morning. "You are brave and strong-"

"Belle I-"

"Shush," she ordered and snuggled up against him. She felt him put an arm around her and the smile remained. "You _are_. I've seen it. I love you, so don't doubt yourself."

He chuckled. "If I'm brave or strong, it's only because you've made me so," he murmured, tightening his grip on her and when he spoke. She was certain that he was mostly asleep. When dawn broke he might think this had all been a dream. That was if he remembered it at all. "I want to marry you, Belle."

Rumplestiltskin was asleep again before she could answer him and she found herself wishing he could be this honest all the time. Small steps, she reminded herself as she curled into him. Small steps, and maybe, just maybe, he'd find the courage to propose to her when he was actually awake.

* * *

TBC

Notes: In the next chapter - Henry finds trouble, Blue tries to sway loyalties, and Rumple and Bae understand that they have a long way to go.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five.**

When he first woke up he couldn't place where he was. He wasn't in his room at home, nor was he in his grandparents' loft with Emma. There was no sound of the heater running or of a television going at any part of the house. In fact, when his eyes opened, he found that the ceiling was made of ornate marble that had a long and deep crack running along part of it.

Memories came crashing in around him and Henry Mills sat straight up in bed. He was in the Dark Castle, left in a less-than-perfect state by the Dark Curse that had pulled everyone from the Enchanted Forest to begin with. He wasn't supposed to be here, technically, but his grandpa had pulled him through, twisting the curse that he had written to make sure that his son's son had safe passage. It hadn't been a dream. Everything had really happened.

Henry piled out of bed, his bare feet connecting with chilled stones and he reached for the boots someone had tugged off his feet before depositing him in the bed. He couldn't remember actually crawling into it, but it didn't matter. His energy levels were reset and he was ready to explore everything that he hadn't had time to discover the night before.

The shouting stopped him in his tracks, though, and he strained his ears for it. The voices were muddled by the thick door, but they must have been close. Maybe that's what had woken him up.

The dark haired boy pulled the door open just enough that the voices cleared and he could hear Emma and his Grandpa Gold arguing.

"No, you left him out there because of whatever ongoing feud the two of you have going," Emma was saying. "That was suppose to be put away before Neverland. Don't bring it here."

"You know nothing about the way this world works, Miss Swan. I'd suggest you leave it to those of us that do."

"All I'm asking is that you let him inside. He helped us get Henry back. He's your grandson. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"That means everything," Mr Gold snapped back and Henry wished he could see the man's face. It was strange. He'd known the man all his life, but had never known that they shared blood. Mr Gold himself hadn't known, which might be the even stranger part of it all. He seemed like he knew everything, no matter what world they were in. "That doesn't mean that he's any less of a threat."

"Are you serious?" Emma shot back. "Hook? A _threat_?"

"Not everything in this world is exactly as you think it is at first glance. He has been known to switch sides at his convenience."

"And isn't that what you do?"

"My loyalties are not bought so easily."

"So you think because your castle wouldn't let him in that he's secretly working for Pan?"

"Or Zelena."

"That's a load of crap, Gold, and we both know it."

Henry pulled in a deep breath. This could go on forever and if he wanted to do any exploring before someone came to wake him for breakfast then it was time to slip past them. He risked opening the door a little further as their irritable shouting match continued and he saw that he could just slip past unnoticed if he were careful. They were speaking at the corner where the hallway bent around. He couldn't even see his grandpa, but Emma stood facing where he must have been on the other side of the wall. Her gaze was focused on him and not on Henry and he took that to his advantage as he moved silently down the hall, calling on all of his experience in slipping away from Regina to do the same to his other mom. It was okay, he reasoned. It wasn't like anything dangerous was within the walls of the castle. Grandpa Gold had seen to that.

It took a few minutes for Henry to find the end of the hallway, but once he did it led to the stairs and down into the main foyer. People were up and mulling about by this point, but some still slept in random nooks and crannies, too many to house comfortably even in the castle. Henry couldn't wrap his mind around the idea of _all_ of these people having been from Storybrooke. It was such a small town, bringing with it all that that entailed. Everyone knew everyone and these people… He didn't recognize these people. He'd have to remember to ask Regina if there was something in the curse that had allowed that. She'd know. Or maybe he could ask his grandpa when he was done fussing back and forth uselessly with Emma. He wanted to get to know the man better. He _had_ been the reason that Henry was standing in the Enchanted Forest after all, and Neal had said that his papa felt very strongly about family.

_That means everything._

Henry poked around as best he could without causing too much disruption. There were no servants, but the castle seemed to react as if it were almost alive. He couldn't be sure if it reacted to him because he wished it to or if it were tied to the fact that he was blood-related to the castle's master. Regardless, it made it so that he could move around with a fair amount of ease. It seemed like doors did not always lead to the same place when opened and the lad would bet that the hallways weren't always as kind as to keep a person on their direct path if it decided not to.

One door, when he opened it, he was sure would lead into a large room that looked like a ballroom - from every angle it _looked_ like it led there, anyway - but when Henry walked through it he was deposited into what might have once been a garden. It looked like all that was left of it now were brittle, crumbling shrubs that were only shadows of their former selves. The boy wondered, as he made his way through the rows of dead plants, if his grandpa could bring it back to life once he had his powers back. He'd heard him say that his magic wasn't gone, but Henry hadn't been privy to any conversations that had gone deeper into what that really meant.

"Wandering around enchanted castles without an escort can prove troublesome."

Henry jumped, his grandfather's voice filling his ears. Did just _thinking_ about him summon him or did someone have to say his name? When he finally caught his breath again, seeing the familiar face that had been ever-present in the pawn shop off of the main street in his hometown, he smiled. "Yeah, I got a little turned around. Did Belle plant these before the curse?"

"No, they were here by the time she came," Rumplestiltskin answered, his dark gaze carefully guarded.

"She worked for you right?"

"For a while. Did your book say that?"

"Yeah. It said she came to work for you as payment for a deal to get rid of the ogres in her land and you two fell in love."

His grandpa quirked an eyebrow up. "What else did that book of yours tell you?" he asked curiously.

Henry grinned. "In general or about you and Belle?"

A smirk crossed the elder man's lips, one that the boy knew from his days as a pawnbroker in their little, cursed town in Maine. "Clever boy," he praised. "Come now, what did you want to see?"

"You mean you'll show me?"

"I shouldn't see why not. I've had my fill of it from your mother and grandmother already this morning and haven't even had my breakfast."

"Mom's just cranky because she hasn't had her coffee yet."

"We'll have to find her a substitute if this is going to be a continual problem."

Henry laughed, feeling a little more at ease with the his father's father as he followed behind him, letting the boy dictate where they went. He got the distinct impression that he had left whatever conversation he and Emma had been having abruptly and his grandson had been the nearest escape. Not that Henry blamed him. Most adults could be a little intense when they fixated on something, and Emma was no exception.

"So do you still have your magic?"

Rumplestiltskin glanced at his grandson out of the corner of his eye. "Of course. Do you think three centuries of study simply disappear just because a curse is broken?"

"But don't you have to have magic to use it? Emma has magic because she's the product of True Love. Regina has magic because her mom had it. I thought your dad stole magic from Neverland."

"Well," the former Dark One said, now sounding a little uncomfortable with the mention of his father that was currently on the loose, "we all have the potential to use magic, but some will certainly be more adept at tapping into that natural talent than others. Your mother - Regina - had great potential when I began to teach her. That was in part because of her inheritance, but in large part it was due to her own soul. It was threaded into who she is."

"What about you then?" Henry pressed.

"Well, with me… I certainly didn't have the… educational background to find anything useful from magic before taking on my curse, not the ambition to, though steeping one's soul in magic for as long as I did is bound to leave residual. It will take a bit of time to see how much, though I'd wager I'll be able to grow it given time."

Henry turned the words over carefully in his mind. His view of magic had changed with each new piece of understanding, and he'd behun to realize that he'd barely scratched the surface of what there was to know. Of all the people that could provide him with a truly deep understanding of what magic was in this world, he thought his grandpa could. "So did you tell the spells you have on the castle to kick Captain Hook out last night?"

Rumplestiltskin pulled in a deep breath. "That… is a more complicated matter than anyone seems to be giving it credit for," he said slowly.

He seemed distracted, but by what Henry wasn't sure. He watched the elder man, trying to gage what he might be thinking, but a flash of movement behind him caught his eye. "Grandpa-" he started, but he was too late.

So was his grandpa in turning. Whatever warning his magic was giving him had been too little too late as the man leapt out from his hiding place, what looked like a broken off piece of… something. Perhaps a table leg or piece of a chair. It could have been anything that a looter had left behind. It was solid enough that the blow sent Rumplestiltskin stumbling back, tumbling to the ground with a bloody nose and a dazed expression. The man flashed a triumphant grin and stalked towards him, ready to deliver another blow should the former Dark One rouse from his place against the dead grass. "Didn't think it be that easy," he muttered to himself.

"Hey!" Henry called, his wish to do something to help overshadowing the fact he had nothing to fight with. When the man turned on him, murder in his eyes, the lad shrank back only a step.

He wasn't sure what was happening at first. The attacker had turned towards him, weapon raised to teach him a lesson for interrupting, and then the man's feet simply left the ground. He was thrown like a ragdoll _through_ half-wall and lay absolutely still on the other side, his body broken and bleeding and Henry couldn't crush down the rising fear even as he saw the source of his protection. Rumplestiltskin stood there, one hand outstretched from where he'd called his magic to do his bidding. The attacker was lifted into the air, limp but still at least partially conscious, and Henry was certain he'd never seen someone so angry in all his life.

"Well now," Rumplestiltskin said, his voice pitched up in a dangerously light tone, "looks like I found one of the rats hiding in my castle. I thought you'd burying you'd bury yourself a bit deeper. Or, at the very least, hide a bit longer."

"You can't… defeat her," he man gasped out.

"Oh, I think I can, and I will. You, though, dearie, should have thought things through a bit better. You come to my home, sleep here, were probably planning to eat here, and you thought you could lay a hand on my grandson and walk away from it?"

"Please," the attacker managed and gave a sharp cry as magic wrapped around him.

"Please _what_?"

"I _had_ to."

"No, see, I might have believed you if you _had_ to come after me, but him? Now I know you're lying. Do you know what I do to people who lie to me?"

Henry cringed as the man somehow found the breath to loose the most terrible, inhuman scream imaginable as his grandfather's dark magic ripped at him, tearing at his already broken limbs. Everyone else that had been in the courtyard shied away, fear spreading like a wildfire through dry grass. "Grandpa, stop. You're killing him!"

"That's rather the point," Rumplestiltskin answered, but when he turned a brief gaze towards his grandson, Henry could see the conflict in his eyes. It raged a moment until he finally let a long breath out and whatever resolve he had to end the intruder's life washed away. "Alright, lad," he murmured and the man dropped, like the strings that had been holding him in the air were severed. "Be grateful that the boy you meant to harm was willing to call for your life," he growled, voice dark and dangerous. He then turned his gaze to the others. "And if anyone else is thinking of joining with her, I'd suggest you rethink it, dearies. The next person that tries something as foolish as all of this won't get off quite as easy."

Henry's dark eyes were still fixated on the far-too-still form of the man that had attacked them and he could only tear them away as his grandfather's hand came to his back, coaxing him towards the castle. "Come on, Henry," Rumplestiltskin urged and he felt his feet move. He didn't shy away from his grandfather, but he couldn't bring himself to feel safe either, no matter if the man had just saved his life or not. All he could think of was the broken, bleeding man that his Grandpa Gold had put through a wall like it was nothing.

* * *

The Blue Fairy hadn't tried to join when they'd chosen the Dark Castle as their destination. She had been smarter than to complain,but she took the other fairies and left without much of an explanation, with only Tink and Astrid choosing to stay with the rest of them. While he was fairly certain that it didn't come back to either of them, Blue must have had some sort of spy amongst them - really he was beginning to feel like there were far too many spies in his castle for his tastes - because she arrived just an hour after the spectacle in the courtyard that morning.

Rumplestiltskin had come within inches of killing the first spy Zelena had sent in without getting anything from him first. It would have been a foolish, emotional move, and he knew it. He knew that's not why Henry had stopped him, but if the want-to-be-doctor of a dwarf could save him, they might be able to get some answers that they needed. Perhaps even done that they didn't know they needed. There had been no news of the man regaining consciousness, but he had full faith in his ability to extract the information from him if he did.

Regina hadn't been happy about the event, but Emma had been shocked - with some encouragement from her pure-souled parents - when Henry stumbled through the explanation of what had happened. The boy was okay. The spy hadn't laid a hand on him. He was okay. He'd told that to Emma, to Snow, and to Charming. Bae had hugged him close and said he needed a moment. That had been hours ago and he still hadn't gone In with the others when the Blue Fairy had fluttered through the window. He hadn't said anything to his father either in thanks or condemnation of his actions.

Now, as he leaned against the wall in his own castle, Rumple listened to the voices float in from the so-called private conversation. He hadn't been invited - though if he were honest, he didn't _want_ to be in there - but Belle had been, and he was reminded once again of one of the many reasons why he loved her.

"This proves Rumplestiltskin is not to be trusted."

"I think it's funny that you say that sitting in _his_ castle," Belle countered the lead fairy.

Blue sighed, loudly enough that it came through the walls. "Snow, I trust _you_ will listen to reason. Dark One or not, he _must_ be under control or your peers will not accept him."

"Our peers will never accept him, we know that. I don't think that's really what's in question here."

"Nothing should be in question. He _killed_ a man today that was looking for refuge here," Blue argued.

"The man attacked him first."

"Belle, dear, I know that you have feelings for him, but you mustn't let those get in the way. People fear him, and for good reason. He's made those reasons himself."

"He was protecting his grandson."

"He was lashing out at what could have very easily been an innocent man. Henry is twelve, and while he's a clever boy, he also has a very active imagination. We don't know what that man really wanted."

The sound of a chair scraping across the floor echoed and Rumple cringed, the sound doing nothing to help the headache that had been working its way through his brain since this whole mess started. The magical outpour had been reactional, not planned, and the price had most certainly not been mitigated. In his days before his curse was broken, his bottomless well of power would have handled it, but now… This would be a learning curve.

"Your prejudice against him is blinding you, Blue. The wards that are set up around this castle are meant to keep anyone with any ill-will towards Rumple or anyone else he's worked into those wards from getting in. He wasn't being petty yesterday when Hook was thrown out. The captain obviously has some issues he's still working through when it comes to Rumple. The spells read that and dealt with it appropriately. Those people out in the courtyard - there are what? Far fewer than fifty? - were mostly not coming from Storybrooke. They were picked up on the way."

"Are you saying that they're spies?" Charming asked.

"It's possible. It's possible that the wards were just reading a wariness for waltzing into the Dark Castle behind the former Dark One. There's no way to know right now, but what we do know is that Rumple knows how his wards work. He knew the risks. Emma, he saved your son's life this morning."

"I know he did."

"Then why don't you - _all_ of you - try a little loyalty? We're in this together."

Rumplestiltskin smiled to himself. His beautiful Belle was clever and feisty when crossed, and the Blue Fairy had crossed her that late morning. While he would have liked nothing better than to continue to listen to her defence of him - certainly she did a better job of it than he ever bothered with - there were things to be done. By this point it was likely - probably - that Zelena had opened Pandora's Box, and unless she had snapped it closed as quickly as she'd opened it, that meant Pan was free. If they decided that they wanted to work together on this… well, that would put them all in a much worse position than they were in even now.

"Rumplestiltskin is loyal only to himself," Blue was saying, even as he flickered into the room where they all sat.

"Oh, even you know that's not entirely true, Reul Ghorm." All eyes turned immediately to him and Rumple flashed an easy smile. It was one they'd always known well and said that he was in perfect control of the situation. "My family comes first."

"Not before yourself. You let your own son-"

"My curse is _broken_, Blue. _Nothing_ will get in the way of protecting my family. Not Zelena, not Pan, and not even you."

The fairy looked startled by the clear threat and she looked around the room. No one made a move to tell Rumplestiltskin that he was out of line and finally she made a small sound of indignation. "Snow, when you need my help, call, but I won't be returning to this castle again."

A flicker of the future slipped past his newly created walls and Rumple shot a glare in her direction. "A lie."

She sniffed. "We don't do that."

"Sure you don't, dearie. Tell me, how many could have gone in that wardrobe?"

There was no need to deliver a physical blow when the cutting truth could do more damage. She shrank instantly and fluttered out of the high, open window, leaving the others alone in the small room.

"Why didn't you tell us about the wards?" Charming asked, leaning forward against the table. He was curious, and surprisingly enough, not accusatory. A quick study of his expression and the others' told the former Dark One that while they were not happy with the fact he'd nearly ended a man's life right in front of a child's eyes, they didn't disbelieve that he'd been protecting him.

"Likely because he was too exhausted to say much of anything when we came in," Belle answered for him and their gazes met. "How much do you remember of last night, Rumple?"

A lie - self preservation - leapt to his tongue, but he stopped himself. He didn't have to trust all of them, but he did need to find a few that he could trust. The Charmings, for all their absurd ideas, were honest if nothing else. "Not much past Hook being thrown out," he admitted after a moment and Belle gave him a smile that seemed almost sad.

"Well, now we know," Snow answered. "And I think, if we're going to remain here, that it might best if we know about any further surprises that might creep up on us."

Well, if he'd known that appearing in the middle of this was going to get him caught in a lengthy explanation of how his enchanted castle worked, he would have let Belle run the bug off instead.

* * *

Regina had taken Henry upstairs once the Blue Fairy arrived. While she hadn't seemed to like the idea of of not being included in the conversation, she prefered Henry at her side more. That had left Bae off to himself, as he simply could not handle the conversation to follow the lead fairy's arrival. Part of him felt like he should be there to defend his father, but his mind kept pulling forward the images of the first time he'd seen his papa as the Dark One. He'd been all of fourteen years old and terrified by the gold skin, the reptilian eyes, and the blood. There had been so much blood. He could still remember the sound of Hordor's necks snapping as his father's wrath was finally released on him. All those pent up emotions and all of that humiliation that the soldier had put him through had been unleashed in one well-calculated moment that had ended his life at Rumplestiltskin's feet.

_Do you feel safe, son?_

He hadn't felt safe. He'd been afraid of his father for the first time in his life. All he could remember thinking was that he was next. His papa's rage would blind him and Bae had been certain that the know would rip into him next.

Henry was younger than he had been, though perhaps had had a bit more life experience. He'd hopped on a bus to chase down Emma and he'd managed to win Regina away from the darkness. He'd helped break his grandfather's and adopted mother's curse and had been kidnapped by his crazy great-grandfather. The kid had seen a lot. He'd also never known Rumplestiltskin before his curse as Bae had. Maybe he'd come out of it a little better. He had no idea who he was before the curse had corrupted him.

Baelfire had found what he thought might be one of the rare, uninhabited rooms of the Dark Castle to pull himself together in, but now he heard the sound of footsteps behind coming up the stairs and saw the man that had taken over his thoughts standing at the top, looking as if he wasn't sure if he should go or stay. He'd saved Henry's life that morning. Bae knew he wasn't being fair, even if he couldn't help how he felt. He tried for a smile. "Hey, Pop."

"Hey," Rumplestiltskin answered softly. "Should I come back later?"

"No… No, it's fine."

His papa nodded and moved slowly into the room. Bae shifted on the windowsill he'd been perched on - a long and thick one that he'd been able to bend his knees and sit entirely on - so that the elder man could join him if he wanted to. Rumple leaned, not taking the hop that it would take to sit up on it. It overlooked the courtyard where people were still mulling around, though fewer remained than had been there that morning. It looked like his father's work room with vials and labels of all sorts of magical potions and equipment to make them. He didn't know what half the stuff did - more than half - and probably didn't want to know. The only thing that really felt familiar was the old spinning wheel in the corner.

"So," Bae said slowly, "feel like I should warn you that the Blue Fairy may be buzzing around your castle somewhere."

"Oh, she's long gone now," his papa answered with a shrug. "She wasn't quite able to convince the others that I'm secretly planning to murder them all in their sleep or something of the like."

A snort of laughter escaped and dark eyes flickered to meet Bae's own. Rumplestiltskin's lips were quirked ever so slightly in a hesitant smile, as if he weren't sure if it would be received well or not. "I know you saved him, Papa. Thank you."

"No thanks needed, son. He's your boy. He's my grandson. No harm will come to Henry if I can prevent it. That much I can swear to. I shall… endeavour not to give him material for quite as vivid nightmares next time."

"I just hope there isn't a next time."

"Oh, Bae. Such optimism there. Zelena has the box and it won't take her long to open it. She has a nasty sense of entitlement that I can nearly guarantee she hasn't shaken over the years."

"Who is she?"

"Like I said before: Regina's elder sister."

"I know that… you and Cora had a thing…"

"No," his papa said immediately, nose turned up at the thought. "Absolutely not."

"Just making sure that I don't have some random sibling you never told me about. Three hundred years is a long time."

"Sorry, son. You're an only child unless your mother-" He stopped and Bae found himself chuckling again.

"I know about Mom and Hook. Which… now that I think about it makes his crush on Emma that much creepier."

It was Rumple's turn to laugh now and he tilted his head back to catch his son's eyes. Bae could tell he was searching for some sort of sign that he hadn't undone all of their work that they'd put into trying to claw their way back to something like a father-son relationship. "I'm not going anywhere, Papa," Bae murmured at last. "This morning just stirred up a lot of bad memories. I guess I thought… with your curse broken..."

"Breaking my curse isn't going to make me a saint, son. I never was."

"You were never _that_, though."

"No, the old me would have cowered in a corner while my grandson was killed. Between the two, I'll do what I have to in order to keep my family safe."

"Guess I've changed some too, huh?"

"Yes, you have. You've gone and grown up. When I Saw that I'd find you again… I didn't want it to occur to me that I'd find a grown man where I'd lost my boy."

"Or that your boy would have a son of his own, huh?"

"Surprise surprise." He paused, letting out a long sigh. "Not a bad one though. You're a good man, Bae. Better than I'll ever be."

"All the good things are things I've held onto since I was a kid. I learned them from you."

Bae watched his father tense, refusing to look at him now, and by the way his shoulders had stiffened he knew he'd said something to risk a flood of emotions that Rumplestiltskin didn't want coming through. He didn't regret it though and reached down from his place on the windowsill, his hand touching his papa's shoulder and he instantly reached up and grabbed for it. Bae hung on tight. They'd likely never be back to where they were before that terrible morning when his father had taken on that terrible curse - they'd both changed far too much - and he knew they wouldn't get there immediately, but that wasn't to say that they couldn't build something even stronger now.

* * *

TBC

Notes: In the next chapter - Henry makes a friend and Rumple learns more about the price of bringing his grandson to the Enchanted Forest.


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six.**

Regina had never know the Dark Castle to be so busy before, and much like Storybrooke it seemed that word traveled fast within those walls. She had no patience for the Blue Fairy that had taken off at the first sign of danger only to return when she thought she might best be able to worm her way in and create friction in a very fragile alliance that had formed between the Charmings and Rumplestiltskin with their mutual grandson as the glue to hold it together. Rumple was a lot of things - many of those things ground at the Evil Queen's very last nerve - but he'd proven to them that he was willing to risk his life for Henry. If it came down to her son's life or some spy's, Regina knew there was no contest. Though she might have waited until Henry had been out of sight before she'd snapped the man's spine.

Henry had been quiet since everything had happened. She knew he was processing it slowly. The man that had both saved him and frightened him - even if he wouldn't admit it, a mother _knows_ when her son is frightened - that morning was one that he'd only thought he'd known. As Mr Gold, Rumple had always been polite to him, surprisingly gentle for his personality both under the Dark Curse and otherwise. He'd always been fond of Henry and, if she knew him - and Regina _did_ know him well, no matter how much he protested it - the blood ties had only strengthened that fondness. It was still a lot for a twelve-year-old to process, no matter how clever he was. Henry had a good heart and hated to see any living creature in pain.

Regina had managed to tear herself away from her son for just a few minutes to grab food from the kitchen for a late lunch, leaving him in the heavily warded Great Hall that was strangely empty, likely due to the nervousness that most felt about wandering into Rumplestiltskin's rooms uninvited. That same nervousness hadn't seemed to affect a few other townspeople from Storybrooke that were poking around the kitchens, though, possibly looking for the source of the food that seemed to appear without a servant in sight. Rumple would be irritated beyond belief if he saw the way they were opening cabinets and looking through _everything_. Regina only shook her head. Not her kitchen, not her castle, not her problem. She'd promised herself to lay low for a bit until they had a firmer grip on everything that was happening. She and Snow had an understanding, as did several others in the Charmings' core group, but there would be many that would see the Evil Queen when they looked at her, and in the end that could cause more trouble for them all than it could help.

Henry was not alone when Regina returned. There was a little boy sitting on the table and he and Henry were looking intently at something sprawled out across the long piece of furniture. Henry had seated himself in his grandfather's chair and very well might have been the only soul that could have gotten away with it.

The former mayor of Storybrooke rounded the table and set the plates down, offering a smile to the little boy that looked up at her with big, dark eyes. "Hello there," she greeted and he watched her carefully. "Who's this, Henry?"

"This is Roland," her adopted son said as he reached for his own plate. "Thanks, Mom."

"Where are your parents, Roland? You're not lost, are you?"

He shook his head, eyes still wide with fear.

"It's okay," Henry offered. "She's not going to hurt you."

"She's the Evil Queen," Roland said hesitantly.

"She's not evil. She's my mom," the elder boy said as if it were all that black and white and he took a bite of his sandwich. "She won't hurt you."

Roland seemed to consider it a moment before nodding. "My dad went to find a better map."

"Did he? What is it that you're looking for?" Regina asked with a genuine smile. She conjured a chair to sit in almost without thinking. Henry glanced at it, but Roland pointed, eyes wider than they should have been able to open.

"Magic!"

"Yes it is," Regina answered. "I don't recognize you, sweetie. You weren't in Storybrooke were you?"

"No, we were left behind when your curse claimed the others," a new voice said and the queen spun around to see Robin Hood standing in the doorway with a collection of maps in his hand. "Your Majesty," he murmured as if in afterthought.

Henry looked a bit sheepish, as if he'd snuck the visit in and hoped his mom wouldn't notice, but she couldn't bring herself to be cross with him. The smile he was wearing did away with that at any rate.

Regina found herself looking back to the rogue and he lifted an eyebrow, the beginnings of a smirk playing on his lips. The queen almost forgot to glare. "Planning a siege?" she asked instead, nodding towards the maps. She hadn't stood from her chair, but instead crossed her legs at the knees and leaned back, watching him carefully. They had no reason to trust this man - outlaw - even if he had made it past all of Rumple's security. Until her former teacher did a full sweep of the castle, they had no way to know for sure that all the wards were really in place as they should be.

"Eventually I should think, though not today. Your boy seemed to indicate he didn't know where your castle was."

"I was curious," Henry piped up. "Robin said he could show me on the map."

"Did he?" Regina asked, her gaze never leaving the blond. He met it evenly, the hint of a smile still there and it made it damn hard to dislike him entirely. Not that she'd admit that. Especially with the way Henry was just about beaming at her. The story of Robin Hood had always been one of his favourites. She had had pictures tucked away in her many albums back in their home in Storybrooke of his homemade costumes that he would come up with. He'd convinced her to let him go trick or treating only once when he was still too young to realize that nothing around them was changing, and he'd made something like a cloak from her green bedsheets and had tied a string to a long, bent stick, pretending it was a bow and chasing the invisible Prince John and Sheriff of Nottingham around the house all afternoon until the sun was low enough to go out for the candy. Those had been the days before she could remember just why she'd been so worried about someone coming to take him away from her, when she could ignore the fact that she'd made herself nearly as miserable as everyone else with her curse and there had been a flicker of light in her life that burned away at the darkness. That flicker of light really had burst forth and he was grinning wholeheartedly at her now.

"If I may?" Robin Hood asked politely and she motioned for him to go head. He laid the maps out on the table and opened them up, showing bits and pieces of her homeland to her son that had never seen it. "This is where we are," the archer explained, his finger pressed against the mountain range that Rumple shared with Maleficent and any other number of dark sorcerers that hid away in its shadows. "And here is Sherwood Forest, where Roland and I are from. Follow this path up this direction and you'll see the castle that belonged to Snow White and Prince James - David, I suppose - and here is your mother's up here."

"Technically I guess that one's my mom's too, because Emma's my birth mom," Henry said pointing at the castle the Charmings had won from King George.

"Twice over the prince then," Robin said with a smile.

Regina laughed at the way her son's eyes grew wide he looked at her. "Guess I am, huh?"

"You always have been," she promised softly and he ducked his head, embarrassed.

"Hey, Roland, what'd you say about the hidden door?" he asked and the little boy nodded before hopping off the table and making a run for it, followed closely by Henry.

"Thank you," Regina breathed before she'd really given herself permission to.

"For what?"

"You helped take his mind off this morning."

"Not such a terrible outlaw, hmm?"

"Now don't go getting ahead of yourself. I didn't say that," Regina answered with a smirk of her own.

* * *

It had been many years since he'd bothered to step foot in the Enchanted Forest and as far as he could see he hadn't missed much. Kings and queen still idled about, curse or no curse, like they had anything to do with the world around them. Adults slaved away while their children sucked them dry, ripping at their time, their money, and their very happiness. It was dull and it bored him quickly.

The witch was an interesting pebble in an otherwise calm pond though. He'd liked her the moment he'd laid eyes on her. That _was_ something that the Enchanted Forest provided: a window into the soul. Zelena was almost comical in her envy and he'd had to swallow a laugh more than once already. It wouldn't do to insult his new toy. Not yet. She might have her uses and he wouldn't want to miss out on those. It hadn't taken long to discover what had turned her such an interesting shade and when he had it figured out he'd been ready to use it.

_What you should be asking is what do you get out of it._

She'd grabbed hold of that. She had a natural gift for magic, something deep within her soul that called it to herself with little or no effort. He'd be able to use her, certainly, and when she'd divulged that Rumple's little band of pet heroes were on their way to his castle it had nearly made Pan giddy with excitement. He'd toned it down, of course, tucked it away. To prove himself more powerful than his son in Rumple's own home would be icing on the cake. Henry's heart would still be useful, but not entirely necessary in this place. Not yet. At this point, he just needed to make them suffer for what they'd done. Baelfire, Belle, and even Henry. He'd dangle them out one by one in front of his son until Rumple shattered in front of him.

Zelena let out a howl of frustration that dragged Pan from his thoughts. He blinked, the smoldering remains causing his eyes to water a bit. She was building up to a rage. It would be a right tantrum, if he was reading her correctly. Magic slammed into a small home or store that was still half standing and it toppled, stones tumbling to the ground and monkeys scattered out of the way, bowing to their angry mistress.

"I _told_ you to keep them here," she growled, flinging a bit of magic at the nearest feathery primate.

"Really shouldn't have taken so long to make our way down," Pan offered, not really caring if wasn't any help at this point. She whirled on him and he shrugged. "We know where they're going. I don't see what all the fuss is about."

"If they've made it into Rumple's castle then there's no getting to them, Dark One or not!"

She'd mentioned it before that Rumple looked to have broken his curse, but Pan knew better. His boy didn't have the guts to fight without magic. He'd had to call the dagger to free himself from the magic-binding cuff to have a chance to save his precious little family. He would never purposefully do away with it. That would leave him open, vulnerable. He was too much of a coward to do that. He always had been.

"You seem to have quite a bit of faith in your former teacher, Zelena."

She snorted. "His wards that he keeps around his castle are unmatched."

"Are they?" Pan bent down, picking up a piece of rubble and examining it patiently, waiting for her temper to spill over the edges. People were so much easier to manipulate when they were blubbering.

"You say you know him well, but you haven't given me a damn bit of proof."

He tossed the rock up, caught it, and turned, head cocked to the side. "Tell me, Zelena, why are Rumple's wards so powerful? You've got quite a bit of magic at your fingertips. Why can't you just bust through them?"

"He uses blood magic. Not even the most powerful of sorcerers can get through-"

"I can."

"_You_ can unravel blood magic?"

"His I can."

"You'd have to be related to him by blood," Zelena argued and when his smile broadened her eyes narrowed. "How?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, lass. As for now, just know that I can be very useful to you, but there'll come a time when you're useful to me too. This is the moment when you're honest with yourself. How dedicated _are_ you to your goal? What are you willing to give?"

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

Pan laughed, the sound childish, but his grin was something fierce. "Sounds like you know how to play the game."

* * *

Early on, his visions rarely came to him in dream form. That was mostly because he so seldomly slept, but he didn't have that luxury any more. With the curse breaking, the sudden and immediate need for an intricate system of control over his visions to be put into place, and then the burst of power that had been fueled by such emotions to protect his grandson… Well, Rumplestiltskin shouldn't have been overly surprised that he'd drifted off when he'd promised himself that he was just going to close his eyes for a few moments.

He found himself with the sensation that he was floating, weightless and timeless. Blips of images flickered in and out around him, but it was the presence that was odd. Odd and new. He turned, eyes narrowed in distrust directed at the someone who would dare to intrude on this. He found a familiar form standing in the darkness, though, and she did not look overly happy to be there.

Rumplestiltskin took a step towards her. The seer he'd gained his powers from had never made an appearance in any of his visions or his dreams. He'd left her where she wished to be left: at peace. She didn't seem to share in his confusion, though, and she lifted the palms of her hands upward, blue eyes blinking as the stared at him. "I'm not really here," she told him, as if she knew his thoughts. Perhaps she did, if she were telling him the truth. If she weren't really there, that meant that this was his mind trying to process his visions without his bottomless well of magic to corral them. "I'm just the form you choose to see."

"Why you?"

"Why not?" she returned and he felt like she might be looking through him rather than at him. "You always did believe I kept the important secrets from you in the end."

He snorted, but it was true. He'd been certain of it at various points in his life.

_You will have a son and your actions will leave him fatherless. _

_A young boy will lead you to him… The boy will be your undoing._

"So what? _Now_ you're my clarity?"

"Perhaps, if you'll let me."

Rumplestiltskin circled her and she didn't move. This was just his mind sorting it, he knew. He could trust his own mind - couldn't he? - even if he didn't trust the face. It could have been worse, he supposed.

"Then tell me something. Prove to me that this is real."

"What do you seek, Rumplestiltskin?"

"A way to defeat Pan and Zelena."

"Hmm," the seer hummed softly. "Perhaps you do seek that, but that is not what weighs heavy on your battered soul. You wish to know if your price is paid."

"Of course it is. My curse was shattered, my powers all but gone. Not only have I learned about sacrifice, but it fulfills the prophecy of being undone by Henry as well. The boy undid the Dark One. There will be no more, and if I was anything, I was the Dark One."

She snorted. She actually snorted at him, the laugh tumbling from her lips after it. "Your powers are hardly gone."

"Diminished."

"For now. You will find them when you need them most."

"Well then? _Has_ my price been paid?"

The seer smiled sadly. "You must learn the meaning of sacrifice, this is your price, Rumplestiltskin. It must be of equal value."

"I gave up my curse. How is that not-"

"You were meant to die to save them. Nothing that has happened should have happened. You have changed your destiny, but that does not mean that others' fates will certainly be changed." There were flashes of images, terrible images that had Bae lying in someone's lap with the most pained look on his face and instinctively Rumple knew he was losing him. He could feel him slipping away and those eyes stared up, lifeless and empty of the soul that should have been behind them. "Baelfire's fate was written since his birth. The Witch will kill him and your price will be paid for what you have done. Not just for bringing the boy, but for changing it all."

Rumplestiltskin startled awake and he was half sat up before he realized he'd come out of the dream. He could barely catch his breath and his heart was slamming painfully against the inside of his ribs. Bae would die. That was the price… for what? It had been more than bringing Henry. The seer had said he'd changed the future, but wasn't destiny set? If it wasn't meant to be changed, shouldn't he - even with all of his power - be unable to stop it?

"Rumple?" Belle cried out, the door flying open and she looked like she'd raced up the stairs to the top floor of the western tower. "He's broken through the outer wards."

"Who has?"

"Pan. He's in the courtyard with Zelena."

Rumplestiltskin was on his feet instantly, rushing past her so quickly that she could barely keep up with him as he all but flew down the stairs. He hadn't felt the warnings - he'd been too deep into the visions - but now that he was awake they flooded his mind like a bucket of ice water being dumped on him. It was hard to breathe, but he pushed through it, racing down and nearly running straight into his son at the bottom.

"Papa, we've got a problem," Bae said, but he barely got the words out before his father's hands were gripping his shoulders, moving him away from the path to the door.

"Yes, yes. I'm aware that we do. Stay inside, Bae."

"Are you crazy? We're going to need all the help we can get. I'm a dead aim with a crossbow."

"No. Absolutely not. Stay inside."

The younger man stared at him for a moment, disbelief scrawled across his face like it had been painted there. "You've got to be kidding me. Listen, Pop, I can't just-"

"Yes, you can. And you will. Damn it, Bae, for once-"

"I'm a grown man. If I say I'm going out there then I'm-"

Rumple didn't let him finish. In a swirl of magic he probably should have saved for the fight ahead, his son was transported to one of the most innermost rooms of the castle. It would likely take him hours to find his way out on a good day, but with the spell his papa wove into it as he sent him, he wouldn't be able to cross the threshold of the castle even if he did find the right path.

"He's not going to be happy with you," Belle managed from her place.

"Very well then," Rumpelstiltskin answered as he strode towards the door. He'd been a fool. He'd left the blood magic wards littered all across his outer defences. They would have kept Zelena out, but not Pan. Damn his shortsightedness. One thing after another and not enough time to think were all excuses. He was a manipulator, a planner by trade. He knew what was happening three or four steps - at minimum - before everyone else. This was his fault and he wouldn't lose his son because of his stupidity.

"Rumple." Belle had hold of his sleeve, refusing to let go until he turned to look at her. "What did you See?"

She knew him too well. He tried to offer her a smile and leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "I'll tell you with it's done. There's no time now."

Belle didn't release him. "When it's done," she repeated and he knew what she wanted. A promise. She needed a promise that he was coming back from this.

"When this is done," he swore and kissed her again. She let him go this time and he moved towards the front door of his castle. It opened without a single physical touch to it and the courtyard was in chaos. Flying monkeys screeched and dove for people. The Charmings were already out to do battle, David with his sword, Snow White with her bow. Emma may not have had a gun, but she apparently could handle a sword well enough as she split one in two. Regina was off to the side and looked to be facing off with her sister for the first time… but not the last, Rumple knew suddenly. Even Hook appeared to be pulling his weight in the battle, though he'd spent the night out with the other potential traitors.

It was the lone figure in the center that caught his attention though, perfectly posed and with his hands on his hips, a smirk playing across his features. He tilted his head, the laugh in his eyes as he focused on the man that had once been the child he'd left behind. "Hello, laddie. Come to play?" he asked and Rumplestiltskin felt the rush of power coming at him.

* * *

TBC

Notes:

Happy Memorial Day everyone! Many, many thanks to those that have served in our military, both on this day and every day.

In the next chapter - Regina finds out just what her newly found sister wants from her and Rumple faces off against Pan.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven.**

"Is that _really_ all you have?" Zelena asked with a wide smile, her tone leaving her younger sister with the inclination to scrub the floors with her face. They'd been exchanging blows back and forth for a while now, though the older woman hardly seemed troubled by the magical output. She obviously had no care for the price of magic - as _that_ particular truth was so clearly displayed on her face and anywhere else her skin showed - and didn't bother to regulate herself the way that Rumple had always taught Regina to do. Find your darkest moment, use it, and then reel yourself back in. Funny, Zelena seemed to do very little reeling back in and she wasn't breaking a sweat. Regina wasn't either, of course, but she could still tell the difference deep inside that most certainly hadn't been there even just a year before. She'd done a lot of changing, but that didn't meant that she couldn't pull from the same darkness that her sister did.

Regina had taken quite a few blows in her life, both physically and emotionally. She'd learned to smile through them, to fight back through them with everything that she had. She'd been innocent, once, and that innocent had begun to die when she lost Daniel. As her mother had pushed her further and further - and she'd eventually pushed _her_ through the Looking Glass - what was left of it was chipped away. She'd blamed Cora, loved her, and hated her again only to lose her when she thought she'd truly found her. Now, as she looked at the blue eyed, green skinned woman that stood in _her_ dress and had been living in _her_ castle, she understood that there had been things that she could never have understood about Cora and that she'd never truly know her. She could see their mother in her eyes if the light caught her just right. There was something very familiar even behind the marred skin and she let the understanding of what that truly meant fill her up and fuel her. "So much more," she promised and slammed the dark magic into the elder woman.

It was powerful and it was potent, slicing and tearing and Rumple would have fussed over the rawness of it. It didn't matter. He wasn't her teacher any more and by the looks of the sparks flying on the other side of the courtyard he had his own family feud to deal with. She'd had more than her share of Peter Pan. Let him deal with the crazy man-child.

Zelena cried out as it hit and Regina pulled the image of their mother forward. Every time that she'd betrayed her and every time that she'd lied. Each and every time built the darkness, empowered it, and Zelena was thrown off her feet. But then, all at once and unbidden, a face came to mind and the light that that face brought with it shattered through the darkness and the ball of fire Regina was holding remained in her palm. She'd promised Henry she'd be better and no matter how angry and hurt she was - or hadn't even realized that she was - that her mother hadn't told her about a sister, that everyone had hid it from her so very well, she'd made a promise to her son and reaching forward and ripping Zelena's heart from her chest out of a fit of anger wouldn't be doing better.

"Well?" Zelena asked and she stood, brushing her dress off. She hardly looked worse for wear. "Maybe that _is_ all you have. I've yet to see any reason why he should have chosen you over me. You're weak, Regina. You think they'll love you. You think-"

"I don't care what they think. I care what Henry thinks."

"Love is weakness, Sis."

"Says the woman whose mother abandoned her."

The attacks met head on and Regina slid back. Her eyes widened as Zelena came through the dust and the flames, hand outstretched and she slammed back into the wall that surrounded the courtyard, the back of her head hitting hard against the concrete. She blinked rapidly against the pain and grit her teeth together, speaking through them. "What the hell do you want?"

"I'm going to take _everything_ from you," Zelena said and she reached forward, hand poised to tear her younger sister's heart from her chest. A triumphant smile pulled her lips, but then suddenly it faltered and she froze, emotions flashing wildly through her eyes before her entire body glossed over with the sure signs of squid ink. Regina watched it happen with wide eyes before sidestepping to see an arrow buried in her back. It would do nothing in the end. Her raw power would heal it as soon as the squid ink's effects wore off, but the fact was that the arrow had likely saved her life.

The dark haired queen moving around her newly found sister and locked eyes with her own personal savior. "_You_."

"A simply _thank you_ is usually appropriate," Robin Hood answered. He managed to keep his face straight, but he couldn't hide the glint of amusement from those blue eyes of his. "Your Majesty."

"Oh _enough_. Now you're just patronizing me."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Your Majesty."

Regina let out a growl of frustration, fully intent on barreling past him and heading back into the battle. She needed to destroy something. That always made her feel better. These sorts of life changes did take time, after all. She could be a better person tomorrow.

Something stopped her though and she turned, brown eyes meeting blue. There was a sort of intelligence there, not the usual sort of leer one would expect from an outlaw and a thug. The smile and finally made it down to his lips and damn it all, he was _teasing_ her. How dare he tease a queen? Who the hell did he think he was?

Without warning he reached forward, took her hand, and pressed his lips to her knuckles that had somehow become bloodied and scraped by the fight. She lost all resolve to be angry, despite herself, and he bowed. As he walked away, she found her voice with some effort. "Regina," she said as steadily as she could.

He paused, head tilted slightly to the side in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"I think you've earned it."

Robin Hood grinned widely at her and she couldn't even imagine what that strange sensation stirring in her chest might be.

"Well aren't the two of you simply _precious_?" Zelena growled out and suddenly she was gone in a whirl of green smoke, leaving her a handful of monkeys and Peter Pan behind.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin had always known his father was clever, even if he didn't like to admit as much. He was usually very fond of clever people, but it had been many, many years since he'd had any kind feelings to direct at his father. The man was manipulative, conniving, and twisted on levels that Rumple wouldn't have touched on his darkest of days, or, at least, he hoped he never did. Pan had told him that while he'd left his son for the youth, Rumple had left Bae for the power of a dagger. The words still haunted him because he knew they were true. He'd clung to the dagger with one hand and Bae with the other, and he had known he couldn't hold both, so he'd let go, wrapping both hands firmly around the hilt. It didn't matter that a breath of a moment after the portal closed that he'd tried to claw the earth back open just to get to his child. Every action had consequences. He'd let go of Bae's hand because he'd been afraid. Malcolm had tossed him away and never looked back. Not really.

_How old are you now? A couple hundred? Can't I be free of you?_

He might have relinquished his powers as the Dark One, but that didn't mean that Rumplestiltskin didn't have a vast depth of knowledge when it came to dark magic, and dark magic was always fueled by the most painful of emotions. Rage. Hate. Anger. Abandonment. He knew them well and welcomed his old friends as he wound them together, threading them into a dense ball that slammed directly into Pan's chest, sending the boy flying backwards and tumbling once he landed.

Rumple was surprisingly whole for the amount of raw magic that Pan was wielding. Malcolm had never studied magic. It was a foreign concept to most peasants in the Frontlands. Likely even the spinsters that had raised him hadn't understood entirely what that bean could or would do. No, Rumple had never even seen Malcolm touch a book in study as a child and he couldn't picture Pan sitting in his tree tops creating his own education as his son had done in his lonely years as the Dark One. Neverland had taught him to pull the magic from the land, much like a parasite might live off of a creature that it had attached itself to. He'd brought that knowledge with him first into Storybrooke and now back into the Enchanted Forest. Rumple could feel his father pulling the magic from the ground, from the air, and from everything that would give way to him. It would take many, many years until he sucked it dry, but there was no doubt in the former Dark One's mind that he would drain it, killing them all in the process.

That smirk hadn't left his lips until the last blow hit and Pan sat up snarling and cursing. "You little-"

A second blast hit just as powerful as the first, and toppled the blond head over heels several times and laid him flat. "You were saying?" Rumplestiltskin asked, standing over him. Magic leapt to his command and Pan was pinned. He'd pay for it later, he was sure, and the price would be plenty steep, but it would be worth it.

Pan chuckled from his place and his eyes met his son's. "I _knew_ you didn't really break it," he said. "I _knew_ you couldn't give it up. You're nothing without the Dark One's curse."

"You're wrong," Rumple growled out. "I did give it up. I'm just not quite as easy to beat as you might have thought. Not quite so weak."

"This isn't your magic," Pan hissed. "You don't have it in you. I _know_ you, Rumple. I've known you since the day you were born."

The blast hit him hard, tearing through his leather vest and biting at skin. It was the first real blow that had connected since they'd begun and it ate through hastily made shields and sent him stumbling back. Pan was on him in an instant and it was his game again as he took hold of Rumple by the shoulders and suddenly they were in the air. His boots left the ground and the realization that Pan had somehow pulled enough magical energy into himself - likely straight from his own castle - to take flight became evident as he was dragged him along with him.

Rumple had never been a fan of heights. They'd frightened him terribly as a child and made him uneasy as an adult, no matter how many years he'd lived. As they climbed higher and higher he felt his chest tighten and he looked up, finding the demon that had taken the place of his father laughing at him. "I know you, Rumple," Pan repeated, "and I know that deep down, you'll never be any better than what you are. All you had was your curse, and if you gave that up… well, I suppose you were willing to make a lot of sacrifices, weren't you? None of you will get out of this alive."

And then he let go and Rumplestiltskin felt himself drop, the ground rushing up to meet him.

* * *

He was going to kill him. If Pan hadn't killed him yet, Baelfire was going to do it. Bae considered himself a fairly level headed man - it was the only way a person could survive everything that he'd survived - but hitting repeat on childhood traumas that his father had put him through within twenty-four hours was more than he was willing to deal with. As he climbed yet another flight of bottomless, toppless, endless stairs that went to absolutely nowhere, he was about convinced that everything Rumplestiltskin had done to prove he was trying up until this point had been a ruse. Some elaborate manipulation to bring his son back home so that he could whisk him away at his will - his, not Bae's - and dictate every bit of his life. Likely he wanted to do it to Henry too, but he'd be damned if he would let him.

Bae let out a howl of frustration as he found yet another door that only opened to a brick wall. Somewhere deep beneath everything, he knew he was just flinging accusations that he didn't really believe, but he really was angry, that much he knew, and even more importantly, his papa should have known after everything they'd been through. They'd had a long talk on the flight back to Storybrooke from Neverland as Henry - well, they'd thought it was Henry - rested below deck. It had been one of the few adult discussions that he'd had with his father since he'd shown up in the lobby of his Manhattan apartment. Bae had thought they were being honest and Rumplestiltskin had said he'd give anything to prove he'd change. His son had believed him. His son still wanted to believe him, but he was making it so damn difficult.

He stopped, pulling in a deep breath and running his hands over his face. This was pointless. He was trapped in his father's castle and if Rumplestiltskin didn't want him to find a way out, he wasn't finding a way out. Curse or no curse, this castle listened to what its master said.

The idea struck him as hard as any physical blow and Bae nearly tripped down a step. "Damn blood magic," he grumbled. He'd watched his father use it enough when he was a kid that he knew the basics. Hell, Rumple had even coaxed him into learning how to open a couple things that he'd locked through it in their home. That's how Bae had known to use the walking stick to find the hidden compartments in the castle when he was looking for a way to get to Neverland. He had to think. He had to _will_ it.

Bae closed his eyes. He wasn't entirely sure he was doing it right. He didn't have anything to hold or use like his father had instructed him with as a child. He just has his mind, his memories, and his heritage. And he had a secret, one that he didn't want to admit through the rest of the raging emotions: he needed to make sure Pan _hadn't_ hurt his father.

Dark eyes opened and to his immediate left was a door. It hadn't been there before and Bae pulled in a deep breath as he pushed against it. It opened inward, not bumping against a wall until it was all the way open. It led to a hallway and another set of stairs, but this one looked like a secret passageway. It was dark and quiet, filled with cobwebs at every turn. He followed the stairs upward instead of down, feeling a strange sort of tug that led him, until he turned through a door half opened and he saw a hall that was familiar. He'd been there just that afternoon when he and his papa had discussed Henry. It was Rumplestiltskin's work tower and it should give him a perfect view of the courtyard.

The setting sun cast long shadows along the open space below, mixed with tints of orange and dark gold. Monkeys were strewn out and as Bae's dark eyes found Emma with her parents. He would have thought that she would have been entirely out of place here, but the Enchanted Forest was in her blood if she wanted to admit it or not. She wielded a sword almost like her father had been teaching her instead of Henry and she and her mother were back to back, facing off against the last few monkeys left over. Regina was to the far left with Robin of all people, Zelena fleeing the scene even as Bae glanced in her direction. Well, it looked like one sister had come out the clear winner. He continued to search the grounds for his father and when he couldn't catch sight of him, his chest began to tighten and he pushed on the window to find it would open for him. Apparently even the blood magic had limits set. His papa had always been a careful sort.

Then he saw him, but he wasn't on the ground. Pan had him dangling in the air and for just a moment Bae saw his papa visibly terrified. Rumplestiltskin had never liked heights to the best of his son's memory, and to be dangled higher than one of the tallest towers reached would have made anyone uncomfortable. When had Pan found his ability to fly in _this_ world?

If his chest was tight before, Bae was certain he stopped breathing when Peter Pan simply let go. "Papa!" he screamed, fists beating on the glass as his father fell.

* * *

This was going to hurt. There was no way around that. Even with his magic able to transport him from the middle of the air to the ground, he was still falling far too fast and when he reappeared he hit hard. Granted, not as hard as he would have had he simply let himself go. There was something for it, in the end.

Rumplestiltskin felt the wind rush out of him and he tried to cough, finding he didn't have the breath to do so. His vision swam, but he didn't have a chance to pull together a mental inventory to figure out if he was just bruised or worse before Pan hit the ground where he'd been lying just a moment before. Rumple rolled to his left, pulling his feet under him as he did and stumbled up. Pan was funneling a large amount of energy at once and the flight would have taken a good deal of that. If he could avoid taking a direct blow from it, he thought he could use one of his old traps set to teleport him at least two kingdoms over. It was the same trick he'd used to stop Maleficent from "dropping by" for tea when he'd first created the castle. The woman had never been good at taking no for an answer.

The sorcerer felt his magic flicker dangerously, the amount of power he'd already used leaving him drained as his emotions evened out into steady thought and planning. He just had to pull the trap around him. The spell itself had been laid out for his use centuries before, and now it took less energy to make use of it, but more to do so silently. Though with the way Pan seemed to be barging around, Rumple thought subtlety might not be quite as necessary to avoid suspicion. He tugged on the string attached to his own magic and his father's blue eyes widened in momentary surprise. "You don't know me at all," Rumplestiltskin growled and the Pan was gone, flung across the lands through magic.

The battle was over, but he had no doubt in his mind that there would be more. Zelena had whisked herself away a short time before and the monkeys that were left behind were nearly dealt with. Those that had fought looked exhausted. They were covered with dirt and grime and some of them in blood. Even Regina was not her normal put together self as she came storming across the courtyard, looking ready to turn her wrath on him of all people. "You and your damn blood magic," she growled, not stopping her approach until she was directly in his face.

Rumple didn't pull back. "It's very useful at most points. I seem to recall you being fond of it as well. How _is_ Zelena liking your castle?"

"You've had time to correct the issue."

"What are you getting at, dearie? That I _let_ him in? You know better than-"

"Blood magic is supposed to be impossible to break, right?"

Dark eyes flickered over to see Ruby standing close to her granny. Her voice hadn't been accusatory, per se, but it was steady and unafraid of the man she was pushing to question towards. Rumple nodded. "It is."

"So how'd he break through?" Grumpy demanded, and his voice was most certainly accusing.

"Peter Pan is Rumplestiltskin's father," Snow White said plainly and Rumple might have had his hands around her neck if he thought he could cross the distance between them without finding himself face down on the ground. He wasn't fond of anyone knowing that bit of information, and now everyone within earshot knew.

"The child? How is that even possible?" Prince Thomas asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Rumple was surprised to see him there. He hadn't run across the arrogant little royal yet and he half wondered if he'd been booted out by the protection spell the same way Hook had been. While he was probably more afraid of the former Dark One than vengeful, the wards certainly would have found some negativity there.

"Well he -" Snow started, but Rumplestiltskin held up a hand to cut her off.

"Magic," he said simply, "is capable of hiding one's true form if their will is strong enough."

"Makes me wonder about you," Grumpy groused, but it was Charming that shot him a look, surprisingly enough.

"We have no reason to question Rumplestiltskin on either the breaking of his curse or his allegiances. He's proven them well enough recently."

Rumple found himself staring at the shepherd-turned-prince whose life he'd helped turn upside down more than once. Something akin to gratitude filled him, but the cynic in him kept it well contained and he simply nodded his thanks.

Charming turned to Regina. "And I'm sure now that we know those wards are a problem that they can be fixed."

"Already done," Rumple answered, even as he glanced back. Belle was coming out of the castle and giving directions to several closer to the door, but she spoke loudly enough that anyone across the courtyard could hear.

"We have the Great Hall set up to handle anyone that was injured. Tinker Belle and Astrid are in there now along with Ella and Aurora. If anyone needs help getting inside, grab one of us and we'll help you in."

"What about those of us that the castle isn't fond of, love?" Hook asked. He looked like he'd taken a hard blow to the head and he was cradling his left arm carefully, his jacket torn and bloodied.

"I'm sure we can make an acception, can't we, Rumple?" Belle asked pointedly.

Rumplestiltskin felt those blue eyes reaching through him to what was left of his soul. He really could deny her nothing. "Yes," he said slowly, shifting his gaze to the pirate, "but know that if you bring any harm to my family in any way, I'll rip you limb from limb and keep you alive long enough to watch."

* * *

There hadn't been quite as many wounded as Belle had feared. She'd refused to cower in the castle while the others fought, even if she had no specific training in weaponry. She'd change that, she decided, and if Rumple wouldn't teach her she'd find someone that would. Mulan had been amongst Robin Hood's Merry Men and if anyone would be willing to give her instructions on swordplay, she was willing to bet she would. For this time, though, she'd made herself as useful as she could by rounding up those that _were_ willing to cower and a few others with a great deal of healing knowledge to prepare for the worst.

Belle stepped out of the Great Hall and let loose a long breath. After getting everyone situated in their rooms - and the proposal that she was certain that Rumple didn't remember making - she'd barely gotten any sleep the night before. She didn't want to know how late it was by the time she'd slipped away. A bit dazed and certainly ready for some sleep, she started for stairs that led to hers and Rumple's room when a door that she wasn't quite sure had been there before burst open and Bae all but stumbled out of it. He looked a bit embarrassed at first, but his expression darkened over almost immediately. "Where is he?"

"Rumple?" she managed. Had Baelfire been wondering the halls since his father had magicked him away so suddenly?

"Yeah. He's about to get an earful," her love's son growled.

"You've been trying to find your way out this whole time, haven't you?"

"And the sad part is that I think this crazy castle listens to me more or less."

Bae always seemed to keep himself collected from what Belle knew of him, but now he appeared to be reaching his boiling point. Not that she blamed him, particularly, but if he and Rumple were to have the talk he seemed so keen on having at that moment, nothing about it would end well. "Last I heard he's tied up with David, Snow, and Regina discussing the wards and how he's rearranged them. Emma took Henry upstairs to bed. You might want to find her. She was worried about you."

"Did you tell her that my dad decided that he'd make me a prisoner for the duration of the fight?"

Belle pressed her lips together, choosing her response carefully. "I mentioned that you'd been... tied up with something. It really wasn't my place to say what." She watched him carefully. It was interesting, though she didn't know Baelfire well, she could see flickers of his father in him, especially now. He was torn between hurt and angry, worried and... frightened. She knew that look stirring behind dark eyes that were so very like his father's. Something was frightening him and she wasn't sure if he'd admitted it to himself yet or was just pushing it aside. She reached out, gaining his attention by a light touch to his arm and she offered him a tired smile. "He was only trying to do what he thought would keep you safe."

Well, _that_ had obviously been the wrong thing to say. She knew it as soon as the fear and the worry was pushed so far below the hurt and the anger that it was as if they weren't there at all. His voice was strained and tight when he spoke. "He was just keeping me safe? Is that what you think he was doing?"

Baelfire squared his shoulders and Belle could read a very old strain working its way there. He and his father had come far since Rumple had found him, but she knew enough to understand that deeply ingrained issues as theirs were could not simply be glossed over. They took time. "Let me tell you something about my dad. He talks in half truths on a good day. He never gives you a straight answer if it doesn't benefit him in one way or another. He's _incapable_ of trusting _anyone_ to make decisions when he's damn certain he's got the only answer out there, and today made it clear enough that he not only can't change, but he doesn't _want_ to change."

Belle watched him, expression calm and she let him get it off his chest, even though he was yelling at her by the end of it. She'd seen enough of Rumple's own explosion to recognize the agonizing pain beneath. She would have let him keep going with it until he was finished, but movement caught her eye.

Rumplestiltskin might have been trying to slip by unnoticed. He looked utterly exhausted and certainly not ready to be on the receiving end of the emotional outpouring, but he'd heard it. He appeared to be frozen in place until she caught his eye, and he murmured an excuse so quietly that neither could make it out as he moved past them and up the stairs, never meeting his son's gaze.

Bae, to his credit, seemed to know the damage he'd inadvertently caused. He looked to Belle. "Are you...?"

"No," she answered firmly. "This is between the two of you. Those aren't pieces he'll _let_ me pick up."

Her love's son nodded slowly and started after his father, leaving Belle alone at the base of the stairs. Well, there'd be no sleep tonight after all.

* * *

TBC

Notes:

In the next chapter - Bae and Rumple work through centuries old emotions, Pan manipulates Zelena, and Snow tries to figure out what's happening to those wounded in the battle when they start disappearing.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight. **

He hadn't even tried to pull on his magic to take him away. It likely wouldn't have worked. Oh, the emotions were running high enough, certainly, but he just didn't have anything left after everything that had happened that day. He hadn't felt this drained, this low since the days before his curse. Everything hurt. It wasn't a sharp pain, but more of a constant sort of ache from the bruising - visibly hidden by a glamour spell - that had started to form along the bridge of his nose and down one sharp cheekbone. It came from the encounter early that morning in the courtyard while facing off with the man that had wanted to harm Henry and from every blow he'd taken while facing off with his father that evening. None of it was dangerous, he knew, but it provided a physical reminder to his own mortality.

The pain in his chest was worse than any of it though, and that wasn't from any hit he'd taken. Well, not of the physical sort, anyway. His and Bae's conversation earlier that day had given him hope and hope was dangerous. He should have known that. He should have protected himself from it, but there was something about his son that brought down all his usual protections. Hadn't that been what had gotten him into so much trouble when August had come to Storybrooke? His emotions had boiled over and his desperation had taken hold. Just that day he'd taken his son's hand and thought he'd worked through that desperation, but in the end it was only a brief flicker. Nothing that would last.

Rumplestiltskin looked around to find himself standing in his own work tower, the same place he'd found Bae hiding away from everyone earlier that day when they'd had their chat. He wasn't entirely sure how he'd gotten there, but he was there now and he sank down to a stool and tried to pull himself together. The pieces wouldn't come, though, and he couldn't banish the mental image of shattered bits of himself lying uselessly on the floor. Useless to his own purposes, to Belle, to Henry, and even to Baelfire, though in the end he'd always been that. All he'd wanted to do was protect him. That was all he'd ever wanted and he couldn't even find a way to do that without botching it up rather nicely.

He was sinking and he felt the desperation take hold, the roots spreading within him and attaching themselves, sucking the very life from him as they did. He couldn't stop the feeling of being swallowed up, no matter how hard he fought it. There was no way to fight it, not really, and he should have known that by now, but years and years and years of habit is always hard to break and Rumplestiltskin reacted to that terrible feeling as he always had. He was on his feet in an instant, and while he didn't dare reach for his magic at that point, his own two hands worked rather well. He didn't require magic to destroy.

By the time he was done the work table was flipped over, contents spilled out across the stones and books had been flung across the room. The stool he'd been sitting on was in pieces and he was in the center of the chaos, sucking in trembling, shallow breaths and it hadn't helped a bit. He was still spiralling and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Hell, Pop," a voice greeted him and he spun around, dark eyes wide at the intrusion. Bae stood at the top of the stairs, surveying the damage his father had caused. He let out long whistle. "What'd the room do to you?"

He knew that it was meant as a joke, weak though the attempt might have been, but Rumple couldn't bring himself to smile, not even for Bae. He simply stood where he was, as if vines had sprung up and latched onto him and a small part of him somehow managed to remember that he needed to breathe in and out. They stared at each other for a long moment before Baelfire took the fact that nothing had been thrown at him as invitation to enter and he continued up the last few steps. He looked around, grimacing as he did, and finally settled for leaning against the railing when he couldn't find an intact chair or stool.

Rumple was not unaware that he needed to say something. He should have gone straight to his son as soon as everything was over and the wards were fixed, but he'd given in to the Charmings' prattling about how they needed to know this and that and everything in between and he'd finally just told them to shut them up. They could be infuriating sometimes, and the fact that Regina was siding with them on it was disturbing and frightening all at the same time, like the world might simply stop spinning because of it. Even so, he _should_ have gone straight to him, but the truth that he couldn't voice was that he'd been too afraid. He was afraid that Bae's reaction would be exactly as it was.

Bae cleared his throat, dragging his father forcefully back to the present where they stood, and Rumplestiltskin blinked, realizing the younger man was standing in front of him now. "I-" he started, not really sure what was going to follow it, but Baelfire had hold of either wrist and was holding his hands up for inspection. For the first time he realized that he'd managed to scrape and cut them during his tantrum that was meant to be entirely his own and without spectators.

"Yeah you," Bae half growled and Rumplestiltskin shrank back a bit. When he spoke again, his tone reminded his father of the one he'd used in Neverland not too long ago. The one where he spoke of nightmares and the fact that Rumple had never come for him. "When I was a kid, I absolutely idolized you, do you know that? I loved you so much."

He motioned for his father to stay where he was as he went to rifle through the turned over cabinet for something to take care of it. He dug through vials, careful not to let any cracked glass spill their unknown contents in him. They were labeled, of course, but there was no reason he should know what most of them were. "But not anymore," Rumple murmured, not really meaning to.

Bae sighed and tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling with the most exasperated look that Rumple had seen him wear since he was ten years old. "Seriously?"

"Bae… I know you don't believe me, but I was just trying to protect you, son."

He stood then, anger flashing through his eyes. "Don't tell me what I do and don't believe."

"I was just-"

"You were just doing what you've _always_ done," Baelfire bit out. "Don't you remember? This! _This_ is what drove us apart. You were always trying to control everything and I was just another pawn to move around-"

"Is that what you think?"

"You never trusted me."

"You were _fourteen_," Rumplestiltskin snapped back. "You didn't know what was happening. You didn't understand the evil that surrounded us or what people would have done if they'd gotten their hands on you."

"Yeah, not sure you noticed or not, Pop, but I'm not fourteen anymore. The thing with Henry today, yeah, I get - didn't like it, but I get it - but what you did downstairs when people were relying on _both_ of us… What if they'd gotten in? They could have killed my son. They could have hurt Henry and I would have been stuck in some crazy labyrinth that you have in the bottom of your castle!"

"They weren't getting in."

"Yeah, well they weren't getting past the gates, either, were they? You know, you can be one of the most dense people for as smart as you are and it drives me up the wall. I can't wrap my mind around why you thought that was okay earlier. What could have possibly been going through your thought process which would have said 'this is a good idea'?"

"Bae…"

"No!" Bae yelled, his voice bouncing off the walls and it hit his father like a physical blow. "I know that tone. Don't try to sidestep this one. The _truth_. I need the truth from you. I'm done with this game. What the hell made you think that was a good idea? Just… give me a _reason_. Something."

All at once images crashed in around Rumplestiltskin and all he could see was his son lying on his back in someone's arms as he slipped away forever.

_Baelfire's fate was written since his birth. _

It was overwhelming and he wasn't sure when he'd collapsed to the floor. He couldn't breathe with the images and his son's lifeless stare the only thing that his mind could grasp. Bae's name tumbled from his lips again and again and he could feel himself shattering at the thought. He couldn't lose him. He couldn't let him go. Not again. He'd never let him go again. He wouldn't.

"Papa?"

His eyes were shut tightly and he forced them open, banishing the image and forcing his mind to accept that the place he resided in was the present and the man in front of him was his son, alive and whole and… worried? He blinked, his vision clearing and he felt tears escaping down his cheeks. "I couldn't lose you again," he whispered, his voice strained. "Oh, Bae, I'm so sorry, son. I'm selfish. I'm very selfish, you know that. I couldn't let go. Please, don't ask me to. I can't bear it."

"What are you talking about?" Bae asked and he reached forward, one hand on either shoulder and they were both seated on the floor. "Papa, look at me. Hey? Look at me."

Rumple forced himself to obey.

"I'm right here." He waited a moment, but for what his father wasn't sure. Bae offered him a slow smile. "How 'bout you?"

"I'm here," Rumplestiltskin managed and he felt one hand move from his shoulder to the back of his head. His forehead touched Bae's and his son sighed.

"You're going to drive me nuts, you know that?"

"I'm sorry."

"Stop. It's just a fact I'm going to have to live with I guess. I just… Won't you tell me why?"

"Please don't ask me that, son. Not now."

"But you'll tell me?"

Rumple blinked, clearing his vision once more and all the fight had washed out of him. He just wanted to wrap his arms around his son and remember that everything was alright. He was alive. Bae was alive. If the seer - or his visions in the form of the seer - had been right that he'd changed his own destiny, surely he could change the one that was laid out before Bae. He could save his son. He had to find a way. "Yes," he found himself promising. "Someday."

"Let's just not take three hundred years to get there, huh?"

Bae's smile had always been contagious when it was genuine. Rumple felt his own lips tilt up and he nodded. "I have to find a way to sort it and then I'll tell you, Bae. I promise."

"Until then you can't just poof me away just because you're scared, okay?"

"Bae.."

"No. We've got to find some common ground here, Papa. This is what drove me away before, but I don't want to go again. I need you to promise me that you'll try."

"I'll try. I can promise that much."

"Okay." He pulled in a deep breath. "And I'll try to remember the good intentions behind the crazy acts. I… I'm sorry about what I said. Both to Belle and you. I know you love me, Papa. I love you too."

He couldn't gather the breath to speak, so the man that had ripped apart the worlds to find his son just clung to him in that moment, one arm going around his neck and he held on as if their lives depended on it.

* * *

Emma Swan had been to a lot of places in her life. She'd moved around constantly, searching for something she wasn't sure she'd ever find. She'd lived on the East Coast, the West Coast, back to the East and then gave the Midwest a try. Seven different cities in ten years.

_That's how you know you've really got a home. When you leave it… you just miss it._

Well, Emma hadn't necessarily missed the Enchanted Forest after her first visit. Her experiences had included being tossed into a wardrobe immediate after birth, running from ogres, and fighting crazy witches that wanted to rip hers or her mother's heart out. Really, Cora hadn't seemed to be too particular in that department. Needless to say, her time in the place of her birth hadn't left her with a burning desire to come back.

Then she'd been faced with losing the family she had just found and there had been no place that she'd rather be. When it had happened, Emma couldn't have known, but somewhere between fighting a dragon, breaking a curse, and saving Henry from his crazy great-grandfather - she was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Peter Pan was not only a bad guy, but a _really_ bad guy that they still hadn't seen the last of - her family had become her home, no matter where they were. Neal had been right. She'd found home and she knew it.

Speak of the devil. Emma gave her former lover a wave as he made his way down the hall. Gold was with him and they both looked more than half asleep on their feet. She'd been leaning against her bedroom door, but she straightened now, meeting him after his father had peeled off to his room but before Neal could slip into his own. "Hey, you okay? Belle was super vague on where you were earlier."

Neal ran a hand through his grey-flecked hair and stifled a yawn. "Yeah, my dad had one of his freak out moments. I ended up wandering around a bunch of back halls in the castle trying to find my way out."

"What? He just... Poofed you down there?"

"Yeah, it's a bad habit of his," he answered tiredly and it sounded like it was an old argument. "We're working on it."

Neal hadn't been interested in diving into his past when Emma had first met him. He'd spoken in fits and starts - usually after quite a bit of alcohol to encourage the honesty - about a father that had once been his hero before everything had turned bad. Emma had had her own theories at the time that had ranged from a use to neglect and finally she'd landed on abandonment after one particular conversation. She couldn't have possibly guessed the specifics though.

"So are you two...?"

Neal leaned against the wall, dark eyes flickering towards the door his dad had disappeared behind. "We're working on it."

Nice and vague, just like his dad. Who knew they had so much on common?

"What about you?" Neal asked with that grin that she knew so well. It was the one that he used whenever he wanted to change the subject and leave her no choice to swivel back around to it. "How's life as a warrior princess?"

Emma snorted out a laugh. "Not sure I'm quite there yet. On either front."

"I don't know. Pop may not have let me out, but I got to watch at least some of the battle. You're not half bad with a sword." The grin broadened. "Though I guess I can't be too shocked, with your dad being who he is and all."

"If we go by that sort of logic you'll be a master at magic in no time, right?" As soon as the words had left her mouth she wasn't sure they should have. The smile had faded and was replaced with a funny sort of look that even she didn't recognize entirely. "I was kidding, Neal."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry. Think I fell asleep standing here. No coffee in this world. Surprisingly, one of the few things I'm starting to miss."

"Did you ever think you'd come back?"

"No, but life's full of surprises. I never thought I'd see you again, either."

Emma blinked at him and she couldn't tell if it was her own exhaustion or what might be causing the tightness that spread in her chest, but it was there and she couldn't quite break eye-contact with him. David had been so sure that she owed herself a chance to find out how she felt about this man, and, per the usual, their crazy lives had gotten in the way. She had loved him once. She'd loved him enough to think that maybe, just maybe, _he_ could be her home.

But then he'd shattered that dream because he seemed to think listening to Pinocchio had been a good life choice.

"Yeah, guess I never thought I'd see you again either," she murmured when she realized that a response was likely expected, no matter the late hour. "Listen, I was about to head in…"

"It's getting late," he agreed, but didn't make a move to leave.

"You might want to duck in and tell Henry goodnight. He was really worried about you earlier."

That seemed to jar him out of his dazed sort of expression and he looked to the door between his own and Emma's where their son was - hopefully - sleeping. Emma hadn't particular seen Neal as father-material, but it wasn't like she'd been mother-material before Henry re-appeared in her life. Pan had said he had the Heart of the Truest Believer and Emma believed it. Henry had believed in her when no one else did, when she couldn't even believe in herself. He'd instantly taken to Neal the same way, and if he were better or not before Henry had fallen into his life, she was sure that the kid had something to do with it now.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Neal's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Yeah, in the morning," she agreed and watched as he turned, slipping into their son's room. All of her self preservation screamed at her to stay the hell away from him, from every old wound that could reopen if she got too close, but the smile he flashed her as he said goodnight put a good dent in those walls. It didn't take them down, not even close, but it shook them enough for her to notice.

* * *

Pan hadn't been overly surprised when Zelena had taken off on him in the middle of their battle. She may have had high hopes for it, but he hadn't been there to deliver a final blow. Certainly not. That would end the game too quickly. He'd gone into it with a much different goal in mind.

Rumple's castle had been a well of untapped power. It had simply sat there, gathering it to itself while the majority of the Enchanted Forest was off playing house in Storybrooke. Once its master had returned it had reawakened and Pan had been able to pull enough into himself to give him his ability to fly back. That had been his real goal, but the so-called Wicked Witch didn't need to know that. In fact, she didn't need to know much at all as far as Pan was concerned. Oh, she'd figure a few things out for herself over time, but only what he let her. He'd known when she'd placed the small bit of tracing spell on him when he'd invited himself through the wards fueled by blood magic. He'd pretended not to notice to make her feel clever. Adults always needed to feel so very clever after all.

That's why Peter Pan could wear a smile as he landed lightly on railing of the balcony. Zelena was watching him as he did so, laid out on a fainting couch in the room she'd stolen from her younger sister. How petty. This only fueled Pan's amusement as he held himself there, squatted down so that his knees nearly touched his shoulders. Anyone else would have topped forward to fall on their face or back to their death below, but he remained perfectly balanced by his own magic that he was pulling from the land itself. "That archer has quite an aim, doesn't he?" he asked cheerfully and received a scowl for his efforts.

"Your chipper for a boy that was tossed halfway across the lands."

"Oh, I knew exactly what Rumple was doing. He thinks he was being clever in it, but it's an old trick."

"I'm not sure that's true," Zelena answered, her nose pointed in the air. Someone really should tell that woman that she wasn't very pretty when she looked like she was about to fall to the ground and start beating her fists against the floor like a toddler. Though Pan supposed he wasn't one to judge about acting one's age.

The witch moved slowly, standing and stalking towards him. "Just what are you, anyway?"

"That's a very rude question."

"You must be using an absorbent amount of energy to keep up that facade."

"Oh? So you've discovered my little secret. I do hope you won't tell." He burst out laughing with the way she blinked owlishly at him. "It takes less than you think. Rumple may have taught you that truly powerful magic takes planning and thought, but that's only because he's always had a bit of a failure of imagination."

He didn't miss the flash in her eyes, something protective behind the hurt. "I've known him for some time and he's always been creative."

"That's only because you've never had anyone to compare him to." He stood then, walking down the railing without tilting one way or the other.

"You're his father."

"Give the girl a prize," Pan answered flippantly and continued his balancing act.

"He hates you."

This stopped him and his blue eyes flickered back to her, though he refused to turn and give her his full, face-on attention. "Hate's a strong word, lass. Rumple and I have… quite a troubled past, I assure you, but hate is a word you don't come back from."

"I need him alive for my purposes."

"Who says I'm planning to kill him?"

She studied him for a moment. "So what _do_ you want, and don't turn it around on me this time. I know what I want."

"Of course you do," the boy said smoothly. "I'm just a bit bored, you see. Looking for the next big game. Rumple's turned into quite the opponent, but he's not always… willing, you see. Tell me, is it his mind you're after?"

"His… what?" she feigned ignorance, but Pan was suddenly dangling a parchment in front of her and her eyes grew wide and her expression agnry. "You little thief! Give that back!"

He burst out giggling at this, rocking to the side and laying out so that he was floating in the air on his back. He tossed the little scroll at her and she snatched it up immediately. "A resilient heart, steadfast courage, a brilliant mind, and unmatched purity. Quite a list you have going there. What's the spell?"

"Don't you know?"

Pan shrugged. "I never had an interest in learning any written spells. Why should I? My power supplies more than enough. Yours too, I'd think, so what's so very important to you?"

"Nothing that you need concern yourself with." She turned on her heel and began to stalk away.

"See, and I was going to offer you a bit of advice. You're going after the wrong mind."

That stopped her, though she didn't turn around. "What do you mean? You of all people should know how clever Rumple is."

"Clever, yes, but you're thinking small. You could have three of these ingredients in one person, should you want it, and with a bit of help that could prove more powerful than you'd even thought to dream of."

"No one man or woman could cover all that."

"You're right. Adults are too limited, but I know a boy that will outshine all your expectations."

* * *

Snow White chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully as she surveyed the scene. It had been Ruby that had come to get her that morning and it was Ruby she now stood with, neither knowing quite what to make of it all. When she'd finally gone up to bed the night before Tink, Astrid, and Grumpy had been taking turns helping those that had been injured in the battle. The injuries had varied, the more severe ones being taken care of immediately by the two fairies to the best of their ability. Some had been hit with bursts of magic from either Pan or Zelena as they fought, some with flying debris that the magical battles had brought down from the already iffy structures that had once been very nice in the gardens, and the rest from the flying monkeys that Zelena had unleashed on them.

Grumpy had already been relieved of his watch duty by the time Ruby came in, and she had been there to give Astrid a few hours' rest. She and Tink had stepped out of the Great Hall for just a few moments to discuss what was happening and not bother those still resting after their injuries when there'd been a loud crashing sound and a scream. They'd flung the door open to see three flying monkeys that had somehow gotten into the room. They didn't have time to capture them before they'd crashed through the window and escaped into the sky.

Now the raven haired princess took in the destruction left behind. Those that could rouse themselves were awake and many others were left in a sleep that Tink and Astrid's fairy dust had left them in to help them heal. Hook, his already damaged arm in a sling, started toward them and Snow nodded carefully as he approached.

"Regina _did_ say that those monkeys in the village had been people, didn't she?" Tink was saying, and Ruby nodded in agreement.

"It's possible that it spreads by bite."

_Like a werewolf_, Snow thought, and her friend might be right. "If that's the case we need to get those that were bitten into another room and start on an antidote immediately."

"Do you think Gold can come up with one?"

"Maybe. We'll have to try."

"Excuse me, love," Hook said and Snow bristled at the pet name that he used for pretty much any woman that he spoke to. "Most of the people in here were either bitten or scratched by one of those creatures, myself included. Unless the Dark One has a room meant to hold them, they're just going to fly out the window like those did."

Snow spun on him immediately, green eyes studying. "That's a monkey bite? How are you feeling? Any different?"

"He wouldn't, if it's anything like a werewolf bite," Ruby offered. "I didn't even know I was changing for years. My guess is these guys don't have a clue until it's too late."

From across the room one of the injured men from Robin Hood's band started moaning and as the three women and the pirate approached carefully, they could see the man that had been nicknamed Little John convulsing on his mat. They were all frozen in shocked horror as he began to transform, the terrible sound of bones rearranging and muscles stretching in inhuman ways making Snow slightly ill. Somehow Ruby's own transformations had never seemed quite that bad.

Little John loosed a terrible scream that should have woken everyone in the castle before his eyes flew open, beady and red. He jumped up, a monkey in the place of a man, his wings unfurling and instead of a scream he screeched terribly and turned his gaze on the humans.

"I don't think he's going to fly away with the others," Hook murmured as he took a step back.

"Now's as good a time as any to see if Rumplestiltskin can change them back," Tinker Bell called out as she dodged a vicious swipe in her direction.

"Can he still hear you when you call? Like before?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know," Snow answered. "But it's worth a try."

* * *

TBC

Notes: In the next chapter - People are changing into monkeys, Rumple opens up to Belle, and Henry decides to play matchmaker.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine.**

"You think you can find a way around Fate."

He turned, the suddenness of the voice startling. The seer stood amidst the darkness, her fiery hair flowing down her back in waves and she reached her hands out towards him, blue eyes watching from her palms. The expression on her face was bland and he felt like she was staring into his soul.

"A person isn't able to change Fate."

"A person _shouldn't_ be able to change Fate," the seer corrected. "You've corrupted what should have been, Rumplestiltskin, and you continue to try to deny Fate its price."

"I don't see how I can be held responsible for changing my fate, as you say, if it was possible to change in the first place."

"Baelfire will die. You _must_ learn the meaning of sacrifice."

"So what's the price? Bae's death or my learning?"

She stopped, her head tilted to the side and he knew he'd caught her. He knew the answer.

_Rumplestiltskin._

His name cut through dream-filed sleep and dark eyes snapped open. The room was silent, streams of light making their way into the room to prove that he'd already slept later than he had meant to. He glanced over and Belle was still curled up, snuggled in close to him so that her forehead pressed against his shoulder. If he moved, he'd wake her, so he remained very still for a moment, not sure if he'd dreamt the tug of magic or not.

The second pull was sharper and Rumplestiltskin came fully back to wakefulness. Belle made a small sound at his side and he glanced over to find blue eyes blinking sleepily awake. "Hey," she greeted. "What's wrong?"

"Something's happening downstairs."

"What?"

He wasn't sure, and that was never a place he liked to be. He tossed back to covers and was out, magic pulling his clothes together on instinct. The fact that it came in that fashion was encouraging and he was at the door as Belle was sliding out of bed and reaching for a dress hanging over the back of a chair. "Go. I'll be right behind you. And Rumple?" He stopped, frozen before he allowed his magic to take him to the source of the problem. "Be careful."

A smile tugged at his thin lips. "Of course."

Rumplestiltskin didn't bother with theatrics as he flickered out of existence and back in. He still hadn't had much time to test his limits, but at least his magic seemed to be functioning when he needed it to. In the grand scheme of things, that's what mattered most. He could handle the tug of exhaustion and the headaches that accompanied large outpouring of power. It was within his limits, if just barely.

He reappeared at the source of the summoning. His Great Hall looked like a warzone. The table was flipped, his chair in pieces over to r in a corner, and anything that could be broken seemed to have been. Some of the injured people were huddling against the walls, but it didn't look like many were left. Snow White - the source of the call - Ruby, Tinker Bell, and that absurd excuse for a captain were fighting with flying monkeys that seemed to have made their way into his castle.

Rumple stopped suddenly, head tilted to one side as he studied them. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Apparently it works," Snow called over to the wolf girl as she dodged another monkey, a piece of what might have been his table in her hand to fend him off.

"I do hope you don't plan on calling me for every little thing," Rumple answered with a smirk playing across his lips. He flicked his fingers and the dark haired princess' near-to-useless weapon was replaced with a bow and quiver of arrows that she was much more accustomed to using. Even so, she didn't immediately send the first arrow flying and the former Dark One threw a curse at the monkey that flew past her and straight at the creature. It turned to ash even as she screamed for him to stop.

"No! The monkeys are the people that were in here!"

"It's spreading?" Rumple murmured thoughtfully. "Like a disease?"

"Something like that," Hook answered as he slammed half a chair into a particularly feisty monkey that looked ready to rip his throat out.

"We think it's through saliva or something like that," Ruby called.

"So what? You called me down here to tell me and expect me not to kill them?" Rumplestiltskin demanded, tossing up a shield in defence and watching the monkey angrily bounce off and then began to claw at the invisible protection like its own life depended on it. He glared at it.

"We were hoping you might be able to undo the spell Zelena put on them," Tinker Bell said.

"That's going to take time."

Snow turned towards him, eyes holding all the determination of the realms. "Can you at least stop the rest of them from turning?"

"_All_ of these people have been bitten?"

It was as if a call came through and several monkeys paused their attack together and leapt for the window, pushing and shoving against the others to get out. "I need a live one to figure out how to reverse it. Zelena is talented and if this is a curse of her own making it'll take time and more understanding of how she's put it together."

"Are you going to… experiment on it?" Ruby asked, turning her nose up and Rumple rolled his eyes.

"Do you want to save these people or not? If these things get loose in the castle, they'll infect everyone. They're not like you, missie, that much is for sure. They'll kill us or turn us, whichever they can, and they won't stop until Zelena's killed or we can reverse the curse."

Surprisingly enough, it was Hook that asked the next question. "You just need one?"

Rumple turned with a snide remark on his tongue, but stopped, noticing the way that Jones was holding his arm close. "Are you volunteering, dearie?"

"Well, I'm going to turn one way or the other, and if you're right and one gets loose in the castle… Just try not to scar me for life any further than you have, alright?"

"I'd have thought that you would have asked me not to kill you."

"I suppose I thought that went without saying, but I forgot for a moment who I was walking to."

The two old enemies squared off for a moment, either man studying the other. They'd lived for centuries with a deep-seated hate between them, and now the pirate was volunteering to put his life in Rumplestiltskin's hands. Well, perhaps not exactly, as the alternative would be becoming Zelena's pet monkey and potentially killing the woman that he was there to attempt to woo.

"I'd just ask… that you endeavour to bring me back to myself," Hook managed through gritted teeth and his blue eyes met Rumple's own dark ones. He was changing. It had already begun.

"Very well," the former Dark One said tightly and in a whirl of smoke the pirate was gone, leaving them with only the last few humans that were quickly melting into winged monkeys. He sighed as they too disappeared, though to a different location than Hook. Zelena wouldn't miss one pirate, though she might miss several of her winged creatures if they didn't come when she called. There was no need to tip their hand immediately.

"What did you do with him?" Snow demanded.

"He's locked in the dungeons so that he can't hurt anyone."

"And you can revert what the witch has done to him?" Tink asked.

"We shall see."

* * *

News about the attack on the Great Hall spread like wildfire through the castle. Belle had gone down shortly after Rumple and she was hearing whispers by the time she'd made it to the bottom step. The fact that she'd found the room in chaos with only a handful of the injured that she'd helped situate there the night before remaining was not helpful and it acted like a strong breeze to spread the fires of rumour.

That had been hours before and nothing she'd learned about the entire event had put her at ease. Their friends were flying monkeys, Snow was quietly unhappy with the idea that Rumplestiltskin was conducting experiments to revert Hook back into his usual obnoxious self rather than his new - yet equally obnoxious - howling self, and though she knew that he was actually putting effort into it, Rumple hadn't found anything of any use from Killian Jones yet in his immediate studies of the curse. The Charmings, as he called them, had begun to hassle him almost immediately over it and he'd locked himself away in his tower so that the majority of the castle's inhabitants couldn't reach him to grill him on what had happened that morning or demand answers that he didn't have yet.

Belle sighed as she took the last couple of steps up the winding staircase and stopped at the top, feeling the brief tingle of magical wards that would have kept anyone else from approaching Rumplestiltskin's work tower. She watched him, his back turned to her and he was busy scribbling frantically against a parchment as potions of various colours and consistencies bubbled to his left. He hadn't noticed that she was there, but that wasn't abnormal. Belle had learned early on just how fixated he could be when he had his mind on something, and while he might not have been inclined to return Hook to his natural state, it was a problem to fix his mind on. It also gave him an excuse to avoid the crowds downstairs so that he could make time to find his own limits, something she suspected that he'd be working on as much or more while locked away there.

"I brought dinner," Belle offered, making her presence known.

Rumple turned to look at her, expression startled only briefly before his lips twitched upward. "Thank you," he said as he stood, moving to meet her halfway. "You didn't need to do that."

"Well, if I know you, then you likely didn't have lunch, and if I don't make sure that you eat something you wouldn't have dinner either." Her voice was soft and she saw his lips thin out in an expression he often wore when he thought she was being too kind. More than he deserved, he'd told her often enough, and she knew she was wasting her breath to try to convince him otherwise in that manner. It would take time for him to see himself the way she saw him: a good man hiding beneath layers and layers of hurt and self-preservation. He would get there someday, and she'd have his hand in her own the whole way. Belle smiled, leaning forward and up on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. "So I thought I'd come to you."

"I have been quite busy."

She pulled a spare stool over to the table and looked for a place to set the tray that held their dinner. "Have you had a chance to find anything?"

He sighed. "I've had a handful of students over the years that I've been alive, and often when I come across them again they've only managed to advance in the smallest of steps past what I taught them. Even Cora was that way, though she was quite talented. Regina has made many things her own, but everything she's done has either been a variation of what I taught her while she was my pupil or something that I instructed her in after. Zelena-"

"Zelena was your student then?"

He blinked at her, expression saying that he'd thought he'd mentioned that. He hadn't, of course, and when she'd tried to broach the subject on their way to the Dark Castle just a few days before he'd shut down terribly over it, as he did with anything that he didn't want to talk about. She'd resigned herself, finally, to the fact that this was simply the man she loved. Much like love itself, she needed to pull back the layers slowly and carefully. To rip at them risked damaging the man beneath, and heaven knew that there'd been enough damage done in the years before she'd known him.

"Yes, briefly," he said as he dipped his spoon into the soup she'd brought, pouring it back out again. "I turned her away after making my decision between she and Regina in regards to who would cast my curse."

"She seems very talented. Why did you turn her away?"

"In order to cast the Dark Curse one must sacrifice the heart of the thing they love most. Desperation makes for truly strong magic, Belle, as you've seen before. Zelena had little left by the time she came to me and she found… something there." His voice was soft. Distant. Belle watched him carefully and reached forward to wrap her fingers in his. He squeezed and continued. "Oh, nothing too terrible, m'dear. Not for me, at any rate. I found that she was a little too fond of me and in the end, I was the only person she was fond of due to her jealous streak that gave her the lovely hue you've seen. I couldn't risk it."

"What did Regina sacrifice to cast the curse?" Belle asked, the question leaving her lips before she'd weighed the cost of learning the answer. She and Regina were far from being friendly, but they did stand on the same side these days.

Rumple's thin lips pressed together and his eyes focused on the table in front of him. "That's… really not for me to say," he answered carefully. "Just know that she paid a steep price. It was one that I do think she regretted."

Belle hummed softly at the thought but let it go as she stood, circling around behind Rumplestiltskin and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He leaned back into her and she hugged him from behind. He thought she was brave, she knew. He'd told her so many, many times, but in the end Belle was no stranger to that nervous tightening in one's chest or the terrible flutter in one's stomach just before a question of some weight is asked. "Rumple, we've been so busy that we haven't had time to discuss it, but you said we would."

"Discuss what?"

She smiled, hearing the genuine confusion in his voice. "What you Saw yesterday that made you send Bae away when Pan and Zelena attacked."

He stiffened in her arms and she pressed a kiss to his cheek, hoping to calm him with it. Whatever it was they could work through it. They always did.

Rumplestiltskin pulled in a deep breath and pulled her hand up to his lips to press a kiss to her palm. "I've been working my way through my visions," he said slowly. "I've been… seeing someone."

"Do you know them?"

"Well, yes. And no. She's dead."

"Who was she?"

"The seer that I received my Sight from."

Belle nodded slowly. She'd always assumed that his Sight had been part of the Dark One's curse, or perhaps a bit of magic that was simply learned, but she'd learned to take new knowledge like this in stride. That within itself should have said how often it came in this manner. "What did she say?"

"Well, it's not so much her as my mind trying to make sense of the visions now. I think… she's a way to filter them."

"That doesn't answer the question, Rumple," Belle prodded gently.

"I suppose it doesn't. She said… she said that I've changed my fate. That I was supposed to die in order to save you and Bae."

"That absurd."

He shrugged and leaned back against her a bit more. "Perhaps, but that's what I'm Seeing. The price for bringing Henry over and for… whatever change I made to my own fate is learning the meaning of sacrifice. My visions have told me that that Bae's death has been preset."

Belle suddenly felt like she'd stepped outside of the castle gates in the dead of winter by the way that the chill took over her. She tightened her grip around her love. "But now you know. You can stop it."

"Yes," he breathed, though she could hear the hesitation in his voice. He knew that he wanted to, knew that he would give anything to do it, but not _how_ he could do it just yet. He was still working on that particular problem, and it suddenly she felt certain that he hadn't done much in the way of looking for a cure for those that had been turned into Zelena's personal pets. When compared to saving his only child, the others meant less than nothing to him. That wasn't to say that he wouldn't find it, but it wouldn't be his focus, even if he told the others that it was.

"You'll find a way," Belle promised. "I know you, Rumple. You are the most determined man I've ever met. When you set your sights on something you achieve it, no matter what. If you've changed your own fate, you can change his."

"No matter the cost," he breathed.

"Well, I should hope this doesn't require you to toss us all back into Storybrooke," Belle murmured with a small laugh. When he looked at her she was still smiling. "Though I'll stand by you, Rumplestiltskin, in whatever you need from me."

"I'm afraid." The confession was soft and he clung the her arms that were around his shoulders. "I'm afraid that I'll simply fall back into the useless spinner that couldn't protect anyone. I want - no I _need_ - my family to be safe, Belle. I just want to keep you and Bae safe. Henry too. I need my family to be safe."

She felt something flutter in her chest. She was his family. "We'll find a way to defeat Zelena and Pan and things will even out. You'll see."

"How can you be so optimistic?" he chuckled.

"I don't have the option of taking a look into a sometimes distorted future. I think that gives me a bit of an advantage, from what I can tell." She circled around so that she could lean over and press a kiss to his lips. They lingered there a moment, reveling in the fact that they could. His hand came to the side of her face and when they finally did break, his dark eyes were warm and full of emotions that she wasn't sure even he could sort through all the way. "The future isn't always what it seems, isn't that true?"

"That is true," he acknowledged softly.

"Then you'll find a way to save Bae. Sacrifice doesn't mean you'll lose him forever, Rumple. We'll find a way to come out of this whole. You just have to have faith."

* * *

Growing up, Henry hadn't had much hope for a family. Regina had loved him, he knew that now, but it hadn't seemed like it during great stretches of his life. She'd been a single mom, so until he'd found Emma and Emma had found, he hadn't even been able to contemplate what having a dad could be like. Even now he was just beginning to understand what that really meant as Neal and he had been separated off and on since he'd met him. Brothers and sisters though? He hadn't even contemplated that.

They were edging up on their sixth full week in the Dark Castle, and Roland had attached himself to Henry like a shadow. He was quickly becoming the little brother that Henry hadn't even known to want. Even at four years old, he was sharp and clever, brought up in the Enchanted Forest and he'd lived through the curse on that side of things. He needed most of a room to tell a story, as he loved to speak while running to all corners to play the parts of various men in his father's band. Whenever Robin needed someone to watch Roland, Henry was always the first to volunteer, and the boys had hit it off better than could have been expected. It helped that Roland's dad had been the older boy's fairytale hero as a child.

One of the stories that Roland told was about how his papa had saved Henry's mama. Henry had listened with interest as Roland told a rather wild tale, but Robin himself confirmed most of the highlighted details. Zelena and Regina had been fighting, Zelena had been ready to steal the younger woman's heart, and Robin had shot her with a squid ink - coated arrow. Henry had brought it up to Regina at breakfast the next day and had only received a glare from his adopted mother, while Emma nearly choked on the oatmeal she'd been shoveling down her throat.

"I think he's rather handsome," Grandma Snow had said, but Regina had only glared.

"He smells like forrest."

After that, Henry had dropped it until a better time.

He hadn't forgotten it, though, and he'd set out to watch Regina and Robin when they were in the room together, which was surprisingly often now. There was always something for both of them to do and when they weren't being pulled in by Gramps for some sort of super-secret meetings that neither of the boys had invites to or dealing with a wild collection of people that were staying in an enchanted castle that had only recently been put back together - that had been truly spectacular to watch his Grandpa Gold piece together parts of the castle and Henry had spent some time wandering through and watching stones knit themselves back together and furniture put right without a hand to set it there - they did seem to spend at least part of their time together. When he asked, though, Henry was very firmly told it was because Roland and he were together, therefore it only made sense that they'd be in the same room and that he needed to drop whatever he was insinuating. Her denials only made him more interested though.

His mom had told him the story about Daniel after he'd attacked Henry in the stables in Storybrooke. He knew she'd been heartbroken and, if she had her way, would remain so probably until her dying day, but her son couldn't stand for that. There was something between she and Robin, he knew, even if she didn't know herself. He just had to get her to see it and to accept it. Accepting it was really the biggest problem on hand, but he was pretty sure he was up to the task. Someone needed to be.

That's how Henry found himself searching the hallways for a certain blonde fairy. He'd read in his book that Tinker Bell and Regina had been friends at one time and that Tinker Bell had tried to direct her towards the love that would help mend her heart. The fairy had come through with them and had stuck around even when the Blue Fairy tried to pull all of the others away. Tink had a mind of her own and Henry wagered that she was driven by a real _good_, not the set of rules that didn't always make sense that Blue seemed to follow like her very existence depended on it.

"Hey, Tink," he greeted as he hit the top step of the staircase leading to Belle's library.

She turned, grinning at him. "Hey there, Henry. Come to look for your book I'm always hearing so much about?"

"I'm not sure I need it now that I'm actually here," he answered with a smile to match hers. "But… I am here to ask you about something that was _in_ my book."

"Me? I was in your book?"

"Not much, but there was a page or two in there from when you met my mom."

Blonde eyebrows shot up and her smile faded. "When I met Regina, you mean?"

"Yeah. My book said you were trying to help her find True Love and that she got scared and ran. Well, it didn't say that specifically, but I can read between the lines."

The smile returned slowly. "You are quite clever."

"I come from a long line on both sides," Henry answered with a shrug. "Do you remember anything about the man that you said was supposed to be her True Love?"

"Neither of us ever saw his face, but he looked tall. He was blond, I think, but the lighting was… a bit dim." Her face scrunched up a little in thought and she leaned against the ladder she'd been about to scale for whatever tome she was after. "Oh, and he had a tattoo."

"A tattoo?" the dark haired boy echoed.

"Mm. It was of a lion. She didn't go in though, so they never met."

"If they met now, though, what do you think would happen? I mean, we're back in the Enchanted Forest. Anything _could_ happen, right?"

"I suppose so, but your mother… isn't the type to go looking."

"She's afraid to be happy, I know."

Tink smiled again. "You really are quite clever. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason."

"I have a hard time believing that."

Henry flashed her a grin that Emma would have said he had inherited from Neal. It was the one that typically got him what he wanted. It was time to find out if his theory was right. If so, maybe his mom would have a chance for happiness after all.

* * *

TBC

Notes:

This weekend was terrible for writing, but I did get a chance to go see Maleficent. I recommend it. Completely. Disney did not disappoint.

In the next chapter - Emma and Bae have a date while Rumplestiltskin finds a use for Hook.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten.**

If Emma had thought that being in someone else's castle would mean that her parents might take a break and let someone else take charge, she'd been wrong. Not that she particularly wanted to follow behind Gold leading the charge - or that he seemed to want to, being that he'd sequestered himself in his tower more hours out of the day than he didn't without so much as a peep about what was going on with the spell reversal that he was _supposed_ to be working on to free not only Hook, but anyone else that they could - but if she had to sit through another dull meeting between a bunch of nobles that seemed more interested in hearing themselves talk than getting results, she thought she might start bashing her head against the nearest wall. Heaven knew she'd lose less brain cells that way.

Over the last weeks that they'd spent in the Dark Castle - who the hell named their castle that anyway? - and after the initial attack by Pan and crazy Zelena things had finally started to settle down. Gold had gotten most of the spells that had been damaged by the Dark Curse working again, the castle seemed to be running smoothly, and quite a few people had filtered out to try their luck at returning home. David had advised against it, but Emma couldn't say that she blamed them. These people had been pulled up from their lives and then tossed back thirty years later and expected to reside in the castle of the man that had written the curse in the first place and had terrorized a good number of them, likely. Emma didn't have proof for the last bit other than she knew Gold well enough to know. If she remembered anything about her home, she'd probably want to go back to it too. Or if it had been standing.

Among the people that had been left for their homes had been several royals, including Thomas and Ella along with their family, Eric and Ariel who had just sent word that they'd made it safely and were offering any support needed on the sea if a war broke out, and Midas along with Abigail and Frederick, whose support to David had been unwavering. Several nobles had left out as well to their homes, Belle's father chief among them as they headed out. Thomas, though, had returned, and had been going on and on for near to an hour now about something that Emma had lost track of. He'd been irritating in Storybrooke - a spoiled kid living off daddy's money for most of his life, but at least he'd manned up there to get a job and take care of Alexandra - but here he was downright obnoxious. The only son of an aging father with three older sisters that couldn't take the throne in his kingdom, it suddenly made sense how the return of his memories had also returned a sense of entitlement to him. He continued on like he'd fought in a hundred wars, but from what David had explained to her, Thomas hadn't even helped when they'd faced off against King George. He and his father had sat on the sidelines to see the outcome, waiting to see who would rise and who would fall.

Prince Philip asked a question that actually sounded well thought out - hell if she knew, she had no clue which kingdoms were where or how to set up any sort of attack in a place like this - and Thomas sputtered for a moment before David smiled and stood, taking over for him with his usual charm and ease. By that point, though, Emma was so lost on what they were actually talking about that it would do her little good to tune in.

At least she wasn't alone. Neal was leaned back in his chair so that the front two legs were hovering off the ground and his dark eyes were unfocused even if he looked like he was staring in David's direction. He blinked, almost like he'd been about to nod off and Emma saw him barely catch himself before he tipped too far backwards and made a real show of it. In typical Neal style he caught himself just in time, though, and no one but she seemed to be any wiser to it. Emma pressed her lips together tightly to keep the laugh in so that she wouldn't call attention to it, but the look caught his and he flashed her a quick grin before grabbing a small notebook from his bag and a thin piece of charcoal, scribbling something on it and folding it up. They were both along the back of the round table so that few were watching them, but he waited a moment to be sure before he slipped the paper over to her.

_Drinks?_

The laugh was just barely contained as such, but it left her as a soft snort that gained a few eyes her direction. Thomas had been speaking again and looked highly offended by the noise. "Princess Emma, if you have a better idea, I'm sure we're all ears," the prince snapped and Emma was nearly on her feet to tell him exactly what she thought when Neal cleared his throat across the table.

"You have to admit it's a little far-fetched," he said easily and damn him for knowing what was actually going on even though he looked like he was dozing off. "You're never going to get that many men - even if you could get them to commit - from your father's kingdom to Regina's castle. Zelena would know you were coming miles out. Magical wards have to be be undone by another sorcerer. You can't just go busting through them with brute strength or you'll get more men killed than should ever be acceptable."

Thomas blinked at him. "I'm sorry, who are you exactly?"

"Neal, but some people here call me Baelfire."

"Are you a knight?"

"No, just an interested party." He glanced over to David. "Do you mind?"

"We're open to ideas," David said, and while Emma thought he meant it, she wasn't so sure Thomas was in agreement.

Neal leaned forward and motioned for the map that the princes at the head of the table had been pouring over. He wasn't the only person of non-royal blood at the table, but he was one of the only ones there that also hadn't previously sat on David and Mary Margaret's round table before the curse had swept them all away. In fact, the only other person that fit the same profile as Emma's former lover was Robin Hood - she was still having as much trouble with that as she was with Tinker Bell - and he'd been brought in after quite a bit of persuading from what David had told her. Mary Margaret had vouched for him and, surprisingly enough, Regina had seconded it. Maybe Henry really had spotted something there. Regardless, Emma wasn't quite sure how Neal had managed to get dragged into this, but here he was, and he never ceased to amaze her how he could fit well into pretty much any situation.

She had trouble keeping up with the exact details of what he was saying, but it sounded like not much had changed since he'd actually lived in the Enchanted Forest when it came to borders between the lands. Emma watched David, Mary Margaret, and Philip nod appreciatively at the ideas and Robin even chimed in a couple of times, followed by Leroy, and then Belle, making it more of a group discussion than the one-man show that Thomas had somehow brought it around to be. In the end, the blond princeling was left off to the side to grumble that his daddy wouldn't support David if he didn't abide by the rules set forth.

"I think that about wraps it up for today," David said as he leaned over to speak directly into Thomas' ear.

Neal was grinning ear-to-ear when he approached her. "Didn't see that coming, did you?"

"Do these people know that you're… umm… Well who your dad is?"

Dark eyes glanced back to the people at the table that weren't paying them any attention. There was a simmering debate going on between David and Thomas that looked to have Philip off to the side to break it up if it came down to it. Nothing good was coming of the discussion and likely that's why David had called the meeting to an abrupt close before his younger friend made an utter fool of himself. Emma thought it might do him some good to be humiliated, but that would only be if he actually noticed.

"Not all of them," Neal answered in a hushed tone. "Your dad actually thinks it'll be better to keep it that way. And while he asked me to sit in in part because Pop just _won't_ show up, I have quite a bit of knowledge on how to outsmart Pan. A couple centuries in Neverland will do that to you."

"Makes sense. When do you and my dad talk?"

That lopsided smile returned. "More than you think. Drinks?"

"That's.. unnerving."

"That I talk to David or that I'm asking you for drinks?"

"No, you always ask me for drinks. Most of the time it's nothing like what I expect."

The grin only grew. "It's all about the tumblers," he murmured, but he was distracted as Belle called him over. "You'd get bored if it was just like you thought. Meet me after dinner?"

"Where?"

"Take the door just under the western stairs straight until the last door on the left."

"Maybe."

"Maybe? It's not like you can call if you're not coming."

It was Emma's turn to smile and it was one she hadn't given him in a long time. It was a little flirty, a little teasing. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see."

"Emma, do you have a moment?" Mary Margaret called and Neal was already turning when she looked back, offering her a wave over his shoulder.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Walk with me."

Emma didn't have time to argue before her mother looped one arm through her own in a funny sort of fashion and nearly dragged her out of the room. There was a quickness to her step that worried her at first, but they slowed down once they were out of earshot of everyone they'd just left behind and the blonde thought maybe she wasn't the only one feeling entirely smothered by the whole fiasco they liked to call a council meeting. "I didn't realize Thomas was such an ass."

"Emma," Mary Margaret admonished. "His father is offering quite a bit of support."

"So we've got to play to his ego to get support? What if we just keep people safe, then everyone wins, right?"

The elder woman sighed, looking worn and Emma felt a tug of worry. "It's all… complicated. I wish you didn't have to be thrown into it without any sort of instruction."

"Sink or swim, right? Regina said that I need to start sharpening my skills in magic. Wouldn't that be crazy?"

"It wouldn't hurt. Zelena's powerful, and we already know that Pan's will is unmatched and he knows how to use it."

"Are you serious? You want Regina to teach me magic?"

"Probably better her than Rumplestiltskin."

Emma tried to steady her expression, but wasn't entirely sure it worked. "Yeah. That's going to give me nightmares," she admitted uneasily.

"I don't know. You and Neal seem to be getting close again…."

"It's just a drink."

"Is it?"

"Yeah. We… talk, you know. He's always been easy to talk to." She stopped, watching Mary Margaret out of the corner of her eye. "Something's up."

"What makes you say that?"

"You're just different. Like you're hiding something. You're terrible at keeping secrets."

"I'm just not sure it's the right time to tell everyone."

"Well, then don't. Just tell me."

They had a strange relationship and they both knew it, but before they'd known just how strange it really was, they'd been friends. Good friends, and that had somehow helped to ease all the weirdness. Mary Margaret sighed, looking both ways to make sure no one was around before turning and meeting Emma's gaze so directly that the younger woman nearly took a step back. "I'm pregnant."

"That's… wow," Emma managed. Of all the things that she'd thought might be wrong - because something seemed wrong, and from everything that David and Mary Margaret had indicated, they'd wanted to try for another child - this wasn't on the list. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"I don't know," her mother whispered, turning to stand at a bay window that looked out to the mountains. She pulled in a shaky breath and exhaled slowly. "Your father and I wanted to try again. That's what we decided after we came back from Neverland. You… I love you Emma, more than I could ever express, but-"

"But you didn't get to see me grow up."

"Is this going to be hard on you?"

Strangely enough, it was a smile that tugged her lips. "Can I tell you a secret? I always wanted a little brother or sister. I mean, I had a bunch of younger kids around me in the foster system, but I wanted one that was mine."

Mary Margaret beamed, tears standing in her eyes and Emma hadn't realized how frightened she'd been over her daughter's reaction. Without warning she pulled the younger woman into a hug and the blonde readily returned it. "I'm so glad."

"Me too," Emma murmured, and she meant it.

* * *

The Dark Castle's dungeons had never been too dim and dreary, not really. At least not compared to others he'd seen and even some that he'd lived in. They were well enough lit, provided a cot for the person inside, and rarely forced neighbors on the person being kept. Or animal, as the case was now.

Hook made some of the most terrible noises imaginable as he lunged at the door when Rumplestiltskin peeked in. The cell was in shambles, much like his Great Hall had been when the monkeys were through with it some weeks before. "No need to be rude," Rumple grumbled as he cast a small spell to freeze his former adversary in place, beady red eyes glowing and teeth bared to rip at skin. "That's better."

Nothing in his extensive studies of the curse had provided Rumplestiltskin with any clear understanding to if those under it had retained any memories of their lives before or any real will of their own. He had no personal care to return the pirate captain to his original state, but he also never liked to pass up a potentially useful situation, and shockingly enough, the pirate could prove useful now.

Rumplestiltskin found the thread that he'd known was there for weeks now and gave it a sharp pull, unraveling Zelena's spell and leaving Killian Jones squatted down against the stones of the dungeon floor, snarling up at the former Dark One until he came to his senses. Along with dismantling the curse, Rumple had released his own holding spell and the younger man stood unsteadily. "Bloody hell, crocodile," he growled out, voice raw from all the screeching he'd done as a monkey. "How long were you planning to leave me like that?"

"Ah. So you _can_ remember. Grand. How much?"

Hook stared at him like he'd lost his mind, but Rumplestiltskin held his gaze evenly. "Why?"

"Well now that is the question now, isn't it. Think hard about your answer though, dearie. It'll decide just how useful to me that you are."

The pirate studied the sorcerer now, looking for any hint as to what he meant. Rumple's expression was well guarded behind a smile he often wore in his days as a pawnbroker before most in Storybrooke remembered who they were. It used to drive Regina mad, he knew, as she'd been convinced he was working against her. The fact that he had been was really beside the point.

"Everything, though I didn't have control of my actions," Hook said carefully. "It was... a bit like watching it all happen."

"I'd imagine it would be," Rumple answered thoughtfully.

"Now what happens?"

"Well, you were willing to put your life in my hands to find a cure."

"Took you long enough. How long have I been down here for?"

Rumplestiltskin tutted, silencing him before tilting his head and his dark eyes studied the pirate that had once taken his wife from him and had gone on to shoot Belle, ripping her memories from her in the process. If he'd still been under the Dark One's curse, the hatred might have been overwhelming, but his freedom from it had given him choice, and no matter how manipulative the curse had made him in its time, Rumple was finding he'd held onto a fair share of it. Hook could still be useful if handled correctly. "I still don't trust you," he continued, "but I don't need to for this. I'll make you a deal, Captain, and one with an incentive high enough that it should buy your loyalty even to me."

"And what's that?" Hook asked uncomfortably.

"The deal is simple. You go into Zelena's stronghold and bring back information to me about it."

"You want me to spy on her? What makes you think she'll let me in?"

"Zelena likes to keep her pets close."

Realization set in and the pirate groaned. "Have I mentioned how much I hate monkeys?"

"You hadn't, no, but that should mean you'll have quite the incentive to return with valuable information quickly. I'll give you control over your actions, though I'd suggest you give Zelena no chance to see it. I've woven my spell so deep into hers that she'll never notice."

"You said this was a deal. What's my payment?"

"When you've completed what I've sent you to do, I will return you to your natural state."

"And if I refuse?"

"Well I suppose you can if you enjoy flapping around, but I doubt you would. Remember this though, Captain, should you try to betray me in any fashion, you'll spend the rest of your days in that form. Even Zelena won't be able to return you. Do we have a deal?"

Hook shook his outstretched hand warily. "You're not giving me much of a choice, mate."

"Oh, everyone's got a choice," Rumple chuckled even as the taller man began to change and shrink. "Just make sure you make the right one."

* * *

Bae thought he managed a decently calm persona most of the time, even if his insides were twisted into knots. Every great once and a while he lost it - usually the scenario involved his father - but otherwise he usually kept it pretty well together, rolling with the many punches life had given him. He didn't feel like he was now with the way that his hands were sweating and his chest was clenched so tight that he could hardly breathe. He'd pushed the slip of paper over to Emma on impulse. It wasn't that she had given him any indication that he should give it another shot - in fact, he'd tried to take a step back in the past few weeks, being there if she needed it, but otherwise giving her the space he knew she wanted to process everything that had been happening recently - but he only had so much patience stored back. Hell, the worse she could do was not show, right?

He pulled in a deep breath and let his eyes wander around the side garden that had come back to life with the rest of the castle when his father had put it back together. It was amazing how a few spells could breathe life back into a place. When he was a child, he'd seen magic as something terrible and evil, something that would steal away the only love he'd ever known and warp it into something that he couldn't possibly recognize, but as he'd grown older - and he'd like to think a little wiser - Baelfire knew so much of it really depended on the user. It had been his papa's curse that had changed him, not the magic itself. Magic had brought Henry back with them and magic had kept his son safe inside the walls. He couldn't say he was happy with the way that his father still relied on it for everything, but his attempt to apologize some weeks ago for his behavior to Belle after the attack on the castle had turned into a rather deep and lengthy conversation about the many things that had changed between that terrible night when Bae had slipped from his father's fingers and his visit Manhattan. "Three hundred years is a long time," Belle reminded him softly, "and your papa hides more hurts than either of us could ever uncover. I think there were a lot of years when it was all he had while searching for you."

The sound of the gate squeaking startled him, but he just managed to avoid jumping. Emma slipped through it, wincing at her loud entry while grumbling about the fact that that door had _not_ lead to this garden a week ago, and Bae was half certain that his grin turned a little goofy. He'd never thought to imagine Emma dressed for the Enchanted Forest, even when she found out who she was - she'd given him all sorts of hell over being the son of Rumplestiltskin, but she was quick to forget that she was the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White conveniently enough - but he had to admit that the look had grown on him. She'd put away the dresses as quickly as she could and exchanged them for a pair of trousers cut for her and a blouse and jacket more suited for this land than the last. Where he came from, women didn't dress like that unless they were pirates or some other sort of rogues, and while he was pretty sure at least that much had changed, he didn't mind the rogue look on her. He could certainly get used to it.

"I don't see any tumblers," Emma teased, glancing around. "Or booze. We need to discuss what _drinks_ means to you."

Bae reached under the bench he'd sat himself down on and pulled out a bottle of very old liquor that he'd never actually tried.

"What is that?" Emma asked and took a seat next to him.

"No clue. Pop had it stored back in one of the random hiding places that most people can't get to."

One blonde eyebrow quirked up but she didn't dare ask. Bae just grinned at her as he grabbed the glasses, uncorked the bottle, and poured a little into each glass. "Only one way to find out, right?"

"That could be poison and we'd never know it until it was too late."

"I seem to remember a girl with a lot stronger sense of adventure."

"Because we haven't had enough adventure for one lifetime. "

"Come on, _Princess_ Emma, you can never have enough adventure. Just ask our son."

Emma took a half hearted swing at him. "I never knew I hated Thomas until today. Seriously, do all royals make titles sound like insults?"

Bae shrugged. "How should I know?"

"I don't know. Your dad is some big time sorcerer. I guess I just thought you ran with that kind of crowd when you were here."

He'd made the mistake of taking a sip of the drink just before she'd spoken and Bae had to focus to swallow it down rather than lose it when he started laughing. It burned like fire down his throat and he felt his eyes water. "Yeah. Me," he chuckled. "Because you can really see _me_ buddying around with jackasses like Thomas."

"Well, I kind of figured that they were too scared of pissing your dad off to be too terrible to you," she answered with a grin, leaning into him to push with her shoulder. "This is good."

"He probably got it in a deal."

"Shocker. So you didn't grow up in this castle?"

"Nope. First time in it was when I passed through trying to get to you and Henry in Neverland. I grew up in a little one-room hovel that seconded as Papa's workshop after my mom left us. It was tiny, but it was home." He hadn't thought about that little town in the Frontlands in a long time, but thinking on it now - talking about it - turned his voice wistful and he'd forgotten how often he longed for it over the years away.

Dark eyes glanced over and Emma was watching a vine sway innocently in the breeze. She turned, her own hazel gaze locking with his and he felt a strange sort of dread set in. "I really don't know you at all, do I?"

"Sure you do. You just don't know where I grew up because… Well you haven't really given me a chance for that story, have you?"

She looked guilty at that, ducking her head and running her hand back through her loose blonde hair. "I really was coming to have lunch with you that day," she murmured after a moment. "The day we figured out that Pan had switched places with Henry."

"I think I'll give you a pass on that one," he teased and that pulled a smile from her. It wasn't a big one, but he'd take what he could get.

Emma turned, crossing her legs so they fit on the bench and she could look directly at him. "So, Neal, what's your story?"

Bae laughed at the words and he knew they might as well have been two people - little more than kids, really - sitting in the tumblers at a closed down amusement park with a story that he couldn't really tell in detail between them. He'd wanted to that night. He'd wanted to tell that pretty blonde girl everything. Not just because she was a pretty blonde, of course. There were plenty of those. There were plenty of those that were more than willing to grab a drink with him, but Emma had been different. He'd known that from the moment he first met her.

So Baelfire told Emma Swan his story in full for the first time and he didn't leave anything out as she listened. He told her about how close he and his papa had been, how Rumplestiltskin had done everything in his very limited power to keep his only child safe, and how that made at least a little more sense these days, even if he still had trouble wrapping his mind around it. He told her about the way he'd fallen asleep by the sound of the spinning wheel as a child and the way he had dreamt that, even after everything, Rumplestiltskin would come save him in Neverland. He didn't dare look at her during parts of the story, and by the time he was done the sun had dropped out of the sky and it had been dark for hours.

"I'm still me," he promised softly, not sure if she'd agree or not.

He risked a look at her and she was staring at her mostly finished drink that had been refilled several times already. Bae wasn't sure if she'd even heard him until she moved, rocking forward and putting one hand to the side of his face. Their eyes met and he couldn't breathe. Slowly, carefully, he could feel her pulling him in and he met her halfway in the kiss and in that moment he'd never been happier to be home.

* * *

TBC

Notes: I'm really not sure how it happened, but I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to keep to my updating schedule this week… By this morning I was 5 chapters ahead in writing. Fun times ahead!

Next time - Zelena sets up her pawns, Blue brings news, and Henry begs to go on a quest.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven. **

Notes: A bit longer chapter for your weekend.

* * *

She'd told him to wait elsewhere, and when he'd given her that cheeky little smirk of his and asked where, she'd told him _anywhere_ but there. Dealing with stuffy royals that had been handed everything and wanted for nothing was bad enough on a normal day, but doing so with an obnoxious man-child hovering over your shoulder - quite literally - was more than she was willing to deal with. The fact that he'd gone away when asked made her more than a little uneasy. It meant he knew far more about the meeting than he was letting on.

Zelena stood in the main hall of her sister's castle, shoulders back and chin tilted up as the aging man entered. A frown tugged at her lips as he stared and she forced down the wish to snarl at him. That would do no good at all and would promptly do away with any usefulness that he might provide. She didn't have to like him to use him, just like Pan.

"You are the witch from Oz?" the dethroned king asked and a smirk tilted her painted lips.

"Indeed I am. I understand that you have information for me."

"And I understand that you take care of those that offer you something in return."

"If what's offered is valuable."

"I assure you it is." The man - George, if she remembered correctly, but it really didn't matter - pulled something from the folds of his clothing and began to unwrap it. "This came into my possession not long before the Dark Curse pulled us from this land. It was one of the few things that I managed to salvage before that imposter stole my castle."

Imposter by his own choosing, if she had understood correctly. She knew the rumours and likely the truth behind Prince James and his charming twin brother that now went by David. "He served his purpose well enough for you," Zelena answered as her blue eyes latched onto the stone that was just becoming visible beneath the wrappings. It had been many years since she'd laid eyes on the sister stones to the one she wore as a broach. They were paler in colour, closer to the one Glinda still wore versus the green tint that spoiled hers, just as everything was spoiled. Not forever though. Not for long.

"Everyone has a purpose to serve, just as everyone has a price." George looked at her, his gaze calculating and cold. "I don't throw in with those that lose, you see."

"Funny. You lost."

"But I won't again."

She watched him carefully and thought that she had a handle on his ambitions. This was a man that sat on top of the world and wished to do so again. This was the kind of man Rumple would have told her was desperate under his layers of confidence. "There's another one. If you know where it is, we might have reason to talk."

"I do."

"Then bring it to me and you shall have all my protection," Zelena purred, and he didn't need any sort of Sight to know she had him.

* * *

"I kissed her."

Rumplestiltskin startled from his place at the spinning wheel where he'd hidden himself away. It had been storming the better part of the day before and all through the night to the point that the courtyard was half-flooded outside and people had been looking to him like he could control the damn stormclouds. The only thing that had saved the precious little princess that had asked was the fact that his grandson had been chatting with him before she'd popped off with that absurd request and he'd settled for telling her that controlling the weather was just outside his purview with the exception of dark clouds that tended to accompany truly nasty curses. He'd taken himself up to his tower after that, Henry on his heels for a few minutes until he decided that the creaking of the wheel didn't fill the space quite as well for him as it had for his father when Bae had been young. Rumple couldn't say how many hours ago that had been, but his son stood at the top of the stairs now, gripping the railing and he looked somewhat uncomfortable with the proclamation.

"Say what?"

"I kissed Emma."

The spinner-turned-sorcerer tilted his head to the side, his hands moving back to the wheel and the sound began again. It seemed to ease Bae's nerves on the subject and he took the last step, pulling a stool up next to his father and they sat there in silence for several long moments, the sound of the wheel the only thing between them. If Rumple didn't know better, his son was waiting on him to voice his own thoughts on the matter, though that had never gone particularly well in the past. He hadn't known exactly what he sensed on Tamara, just that she wouldn't last long. At the time he'd assumed it was because she would eventually become overwhelmed and leave and that Bae's own son would keep him there when she did, but he'd obviously underestimated the extremity of how poorly matched she had been for his son. Not that Bae would have listened to that and not that Rumple was ever able to put those thoughts into something that resembled a healthy conversation.

So instead of offer his opinions - and he _did_ have opinions on the match between the Charmings' daughter and his son - he merely continued spinning, his voice low as he prompted. "And?"

"And what?"

"Was this meant to be more of a newsflash or-"

"Nevermind," Bae snapped, standing abruptly and Rumple's hands immediately stilled.

"Bae," he called and watched his only child's shoulders go taught, "I'm sorry, son. I didn't mean it negatively."

"I know," came the equally tight response and he was back, the stool scraping across the stones as he retook his seat. Rumple hadn't realized how fidgety he'd been, but it was obvious now as he ran one hand through his hair, gripped at the seat of the stool with the other and he looked everywhere but his father's eyes. "Sorry. Emma's just being Emma."

"What did she say?"

"Nothing. That's the problem. I mean, nothing _happened-_" if the conversation hadn't been awkward before it was growing increasingly so now - "except that we kissed and she went in right after that and… Damn it."

"Well, from what I hear she's been quite busy this past week."

"Yeah, Regina's teaching her magic." Rumpelstiltskin snorted and that brought a small smile from his son. "What?"

"Oh, I'm just hoping the integrity of my castle survives those lessons is all. Not much to be done for it now. I'd wager Regina won't be much of a teacher."

"So much faith in your former student, Pop."

"Oh, Regina is talented, but she was a terrible student as well. She just doesn't have the patience for it. I wouldn't put too much worry into your Miss Swan's… distance. If there's something that I've learned about her it's that she will overthink herself into a hole given half the chance. The real reason that I left them all on the boat in Neverland, by the way."

Bae chuckled. "Yeah, she does do that."

"And I'd wager she put quite a bit of thought into meeting with you as well."

"Wait. How'd you know-?"

"It's my castle, Bae. Do you really think I don't know what happens in it?"

"I can't even begin to describe how disconcerting that is, Papa."

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. "It's not like I watched the whole event. I simply knew you were meeting with her is all. Henry might have mentioned it as well."

"That little sneak."

"Mm. His father's son. I also get the distinct impression that he's attempting to bring Regina a bit closer with Robin Hood."

"Must be your grandson then. As I understand it, you've helped a few couples that have lasted."

"And the real reason comes out for your confession about our dear Miss Swan," Rumple chuckled.

Baelfire smiled and his papa reveled in the peace between them. Tempers had flared, certainly, since their conversation in which he'd promised to tell his son why he was so very afraid for him, but nothing like that night. Bae was choosing to be patient with him, Rumple know, and for that he would be grateful. He could be nothing less, even if he hadn't quite scraped up the courage to have that conversation with him yet.

"So," Bae drawled as he turned dark eyes on his papa, "Thomas just made it back."

"Lovely. I knew I felt the air grow a bit stuffier."

"And the Blue Fairy came in with him."

Rumplestiltskin had been so caught up with his spinning that he'd shut out any warnings that his wards were feeding him unless they were necessary. The fact that he hadn't known the Blue Fairy was in his castle was unnerving at the very best place. He stood, brows drawn together in irritation and Bae followed. "Thank you, son."

"Well, I was kind of surprised when you didn't show up. I know you two don't exactly see eye to eye."

"That's putting it nicely, yes." Rumple stood. "Looks like David finally found a way to get me into one of his damn, useless meetings."

Bae couldn't seem to find it in himself to argue that point as they started towards it together, speaking lowly about the issue at hand, the likelihood of Pan being able to retain the amount of power that he'd shown a few weeks before, and what Zelena might be after beyond killing her sister. Rumple was convinced that she had more lofty goals than any of the others could conceive of. "She's arrogant," he explained to his son as they turned down the hall. "Arrogant and powerful."

"Not unlike her teacher."

Rumplestiltskin turned, a frown tugging at his lips. He'd held a deep loathing for Reul Ghorm since the night that Bae had slipped through that portal. He'd hated himself for it, certainly, but it never would have come to that if Blue had been straight with the boy. Portals were dangerous things and they often led to equally dangerous places. Like Neverland.

"Powerful, yes. Arrogance would imply that I don't have the skillset I need to back up what I know that I can do," Rumple answered with a dangerous smile. Bae didn't stray from his side and he was grateful for it. He had to play nice with the little blue bug, but he wasn't sure he had it in him to do so without someone whose opinion he actually valued being right there with him. "Thought you weren't coming back, Blue. Always a pleasure."

"Toning down the sarcasm isn't outside of your skillset, is it?" the lead fairy asked rather snappishly. Good. That meant she knew who had the upper hand here.

Rumple opened his mouth to snap back, but his son beat him to it. "On a more useful note, Blue," he prompted and the fairy sighed.

"Of course. I suppose you're knee deep in this anyway," she grumbled, glaring at Rumplestiltskin as if it were _he_ that were intruding on _her_ home. When she spoke again, though, it was directed at Bae. "My fairies and I have not been idle. We've been searching the forest for information on what Zelena and Peter Pan have planned. Zelena has been searching for a stone of great power. There are said to have been two of them that were lost to their owners and came through near to the time that Glinda the Good Witch of Oz was banished to the Enchanted Forest, though four have been known to be in existence. As far as I am aware, Glinda still holds one, and after delivering this news I intend to travel to the far north where she has been banished to."

Rumple tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "The four witches of Oz were said to have worn powerful stones fashioned as pendants. If two of those are floating around without witches attached to them, it's a safe bet that their previous owners have met an unpleasant fate."

"I'm starting to get the impression that nothing with Zelena is overly pleasant," Bae agreed.

"Did your fairies happen to hear any rumours as to who might have gotten their hands on these stones once they came through? I would have been rather busy during that point just before the curse was enacted."

Blue tilted her head up, nose in the air just a bit more than it had been, even if she was her usual fairy-sized self that could be swatted without any pull on dark magic. "You were rather behind bars," she corrected Rumplestiltskin. "Where you belong, if I had my say."

Bae's hand touched his arm and Rumple hadn't even noticed that he'd taken a step forward. He froze there as surely as if he'd still been the Dark One and someone had sent a command through his dagger.

"Do you have any leads as to their whereabouts?" Baelfire asked, his voice tight and irritated.

"We have a couple of leads, yes. I will be sure to bring that up to Prince David." With that she fluttered off, leaving father and son to watch her.

"I'm beginning to see why you don't like her."

"Oh, it's a bit stronger than dislike," Rumple assured him through a forced calm. "Quite a bit stronger."

* * *

The rains had been falling for only a couple of days, but they'd flooded parts of the courtyard. The repairs done to the castle's structure were holding and the rain remained outside for the most part, but Henry was stuck inside. Everyone seemed to be busy with something besides him. His dad and Gramps had promised to make time for his sword fighting lessons even if it was raining, but then Prince Thomas had come through the outer gates bringing news that they'd been waiting for. So they along with Grandma Snow, Regina, Robin, Emma, and even Grandpa Gold had disappeared behind closed doors - though the latter he was certain was only to keep the Blue Fairy in check - and Henry was left to himself. Even Roland was off with one of his father's men.

He'd hidden himself behind the thick curtains, sat up on the windowsill with his forehead pressed against the cool glass and watched Mulan teaching Belle how to defend herself. Both women had to be soaked through and they were covered in mud, and that was probably the only thing that had kept Belle from being dragged into the impromptu meeting. Back and forth he watched them and it looked like a dance. Block, push forward, block, attack. Belle had improved with each session and while her footwork was a little sloppy that evening due to the rain, Henry was beginning to rethink his choice in teachers. Mulan was good.

"Hiding out?"

Henry jumped. He hadn't even heard Emma walk up, but she pulled the curtain back as she spoke. She looked like she wanted to hide away too and he scooted over to give her room. She hopped up on the windowsill with him, the ledge deep enough for her to mirror his posture and lean up against the window with her knees pulled up towards her chest. She followed his gaze down, wincing as Belle slipped in the mud and landed flat on her back. "Ouch."

"She's been doing really good up until that."

"Lucky girl didn't just have to sit through all of _that_," Emma grumbled, indicating in the direction that she'd come from.

Henry grinned. "Maybe you should start taking sword lessons too."

"Regina's taking up any free time I have with her magic lessons."

"You've had what? One lesson?" Henry laughed.

"You're hilarious. They've been going all week."

"So what'd they say in there anyway?" Henry pressed. They'd been waiting for Thomas to return with his father's answer since he'd left out just after their last major meeting the week before. The kingdom wasn't too far away and he'd come and gone with only a few close companions, so the ride was quick. Well, as quick as it could be without a car.

Emma sighed. "I'm about halfway sure that no one says what they really mean in those meetings. They're all smiles and niceness - well, except for Gold and Regina -, but something's up. Thomas' dad says he'll only talk to David if David goes to him. Sounds like a powerplay to me."

Henry's eyes lit. "Are we going?"

"I don't know who is. I have to stick around for those stupid lessons."

While he loved the Dark Castle, Henry wanted to see more of the land his family came from. They'd rushed to a safe holding place so fast and he'd been shuffled around since then. He was well aware that he was no great sword fighter and that he was still mostly a kid, but how did they expect him to learn anything if they kept him cooped up? "Is Dad going?"

Emma quirked an eyebrow at that and her son knew he hadn't been nearly as subtle as he'd meant to be. He was losing his touch. "Maybe. He was talking to David when I left. Why?"

"No reason," he answered quickly. Emma would say no. Regina would say no. His dad, though, might just say yes. If either of his moms were going he'd be much more likely to get the chance to tag along, but he wasn't worried even without them. As long as both Gramps and Dad along, it wasn't like he would be in any danger. They hadn't heard anything out of Pan or Zelena since the attack on the castle _weeks_ ago, and while they could only speculate on what that would mean Henry refused to be trapped inside of his grandfather's castle forever. Even though it was a sound enough reason in a twelve year old's mind, he could see Emma start to catch on and he added, "He'd just promised to hang out with me today and I wanted to see him before he left." It wasn't a lie. Not really.

Emma seemed to relax a bit with that. "They were all talking about it when I left. He's probably still there."

Henry was halfway off his perch when his mom called his name. Dread set in that he'd be caught, but loosened with her words. "If Regina asks, you haven't seen me, got it kid?"

He grinned. "I've got your back, Mom," he promised.

"Not that she won't just track me down with one of her damn locator spells," Emma grumbled even as Henry started off towards the room where they all met for the meetings that his mom hated so much.

* * *

The Land Without Magic had done a great deal of good for many in the Enchanted Forest. Notoriously a land that depended greatly on class structure, people of all walks of life had managed to live within the walls of the Dark Castle for nearly two months now without any real incidences. David and Snow had always been of the opinion that people should be judged based on their ability, not the place of their birth, but there were still many others not as inclined to agree, and that was how David found himself continuing to argue with a young man that he did - most days - think very highly of.

Thomas' father calling David to him rather than allowing Thomas the authority to do what needed to be done was an obvious reach for power that was a slight at both young princes when it came down to it, but the younger blond's reaction to the small traveling party that his elder peer had set up was born out of being raised in a place that could not see past a pedigree and it irked the former sheepherder greatly. "Obviously Father knows how Princess Snow feels about the dwarfs, so they are most welcome, but your friend Neal… Well no one really knows anything about him, do they?"

David bit his tongue. He and Neal had discussed that there was no reason to hide the fact that he was the son of Rumplestiltskin, but there was no need to flaunt it either. While most people knew it at this point, Thomas had been away more than he'd actually been there, and the same prejudices that were now rearing their heads over his lack of public identity could potentially get worse with that knowledge. Thomas seemed to be backing him into a corner over it though. Something in the way he'd been brought up demanded to know the family line of the man that was quickly proving himself to be a keen tactician - not unlike his father in that regard, though David thought he trusted Neal a bit more to be open as to his reasons - and had a great deal of knowledge that would prove useful against Pan. He'd said this, of course, but but in the end he knew exactly what would make sense to the young man with generations of royal blood flowing through his veins. "He's my grandson's father. That's good enough for me."

That stopped Thomas in his tracks. His eyes grew wide as he looked at his friend - probably hoping for some sign that he wasn't being serious - and then back over to Neal who was discussing something with Rumplestiltskin. The elder man looked frustrated, as if his son had just told him a truth that he didn't want to hear. That was another thing Neal was good at, even if he didn't always admit it. Neal was exceptionally good at corralling his father. Almost as good as Belle was, and Blue's information that she'd brought to them had made David determined to have the former Dark One along as well, and he was almost certain that Rumplestiltskin wouldn't argue that one. Blue had made it clear that she believed at least one of the stones to be hidden away in Thomas' own family treasury, tucked away there by whatever magic the witch that had previously owned it had cast in her final moments to keep the powers away from Zelena. Without Regina along to track it, they needed Rumplestiltskin, and Neal was their best bet to get him to work _with_ them, not around them.

"_He's_ Henry's father?" Thomas sputtered. "But… doesn't that mean… The rumours are…"

"You okay there?"

"He's _his_ son." The befuddled prince nodded towards Rumplestiltskin, still wary of saying his name after everything that had happened.

"One in the same," David answered cheerfully. "They'll both be coming along with us."

If Thomas had had any colour left in his face it drained at that, but David wouldn't give. Instead he stood tall and offered his most charming smile to help ease the situation. "Don't worry. We need him on this and he'll be willing to help."

"At what price? This is the same man you said we were doing the world a favour by locking up, remember?"

"Well," David began, but didn't get a chance to finish as his grandson came bursting into the room, making a beeline for Neal and his questions running together like he could barely contain himself.

"Dad! Are you going? Are you going to Thomas' castle? Can I go too?"

He was all energy and after the lengthy conversation that no one had been particularly fond of the kid was the only one that had any. Henry was bouncing, nearly taking Neal off his feet, but a grin spread easily and Neal pulled his son into a hug. "You want to go where?" he teased, one arm around his shoulders so that he couldn't get away.

Henry laughed. "You totally skipped out of sword practice for like… _days_ now. Please take me with you!"

David barely caught himself before the laugh escaped and Rumplestiltskin looked more than a little amused by the reasoning. Neal's grin evened out a little though as he realized what was happening. "Hey there, buddy, we're not going on a vacation."

"I know," the twelve-year-old answered with all the enthusiasm of a child that was trying to convince his father to let him go on a quest. David knew the tone. He'd been that kid once too, and by the look that Rumplestiltskin was wearing, he thought Neal probably hadn't been much different either. "I won't be in the way. I can listen to everything and learn all about how this stuff works and you and Gramps can keep teaching me how to use a sword and I can practice my riding and-"

"I think he wants to go," David offered unhelpfully.

Neal shot him a look. "Henry, Pan's still out there and Pop says this Zelena lady is pretty bad news…"

"But you and Grandpa Gold and Gramps will all be there. I won't get hurt, I _promise_!"

"Well that's setting it up for disaster," Rumplestiltskin murmured.

"Seriously, kid, haven't you ever watched a movie?" Leroy called from where he'd been discussing something with Robin.

Henry didn't seem bothered in the slightest. His grin only grew and he turned it on his father. "Please, Dad?"

And Neal gave. David couldn't blame him. There was something about being away from your child for so long and then having them readily call you _dad_ that helped to do away with any resolve you might have had. Henry saw it too and he cheered, wrapping his arms around his father in a tight hug. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning," David answered for him. "First light."

"Awesome. I'm going to go pack. This is going to be the best!"

Henry's father and two grandfathers watched him all but fly out of the room and Neal loosed a long breath in the form of a sigh. "His mom's going to kill me."

"Which one?" Rumplestiltskin asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Both."

* * *

Belle had never been particularly fond of Lacey or felt that she held too awful much in common with her outside of her physical body. She was reckless in all the wrong ways, indulging in her own darkest behaviors and encouraging them in those that she kept around her. In the moments when Rumple had needed Belle the most, he'd gotten Lacey, and while she might have had no real control over that, she couldn't help but feel a bit of anger towards the woman that didn't really exist.

There were a few things though, deep back in the memories of the Land Without Magic that the curse had provided her with, that she _did_ like about Lacy. One of those things was that as a little girl she'd wanted nothing more than to live in a castle with tall towers that reached to the sky and to marry a prince. That little girl that had never really existed dreamed of ballrooms and gowns and she would dance around her room stopping only to curtsy to a stuffed bear or doll. In those days of innocents she wistfully pretended to be everything that Belle had been raised to be. Thinking about it made Belle smile.

She wasn't sure what had prompted her to deviate from the long, hot bath she had planned for that evening. The mud that was quickly drying to every inch of her, caked into her hair and under her nails and drying her clothes to her skin. It was disgusting, when she got right down to it, but something had pulled her to the side and off her intended path. The castle had a way of doing that.

Thunder shook the whole castle and Belle looked around the room that had sparked the small thought about her brief Storybrooke persona. Rumple hated the ballroom and she'd asked him again and again when she'd lived there as his maid why he bothered with it. He'd shrugged, as if to say that this was a castle and castles had ballrooms. She hadn't known a lot about his past then, but now she knew that he'd probably knew little of what a castle should or shouldn't have when he'd built it or the fact that it really should have only had what he truly wanted in it. What he'd wanted, though, hadn't been attainable then, so it was simply filled with should-be's and that's-the-way-it-is'.

Little Lacey would have enjoyed dancing around on the marble floors in a gold and white gown, but Belle was hardly in any of her finer clothes today. She almost giggled to herself as she moved slowly into the room - no one was there, she'd made sure to look - and could almost hear a quiet tune in her mind that she hummed.

The tune silenced immediately at the sound of a door flying open. Belle thought she might have squeaked a little as Henry came stumbling through it, wide-eyed like the castle had delivered him some place different too. He recovered quickly enough and grinned. "Hey Belle!"

"Hey there, Henry. What are you doing in here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," the clever little boy returned and she couldn't help but smile at him even as he grinned widely, looking around the room. "I've never been here before. Do you and Grandpa Gold ever dance here?"

"I'm afraid your Grandpa Gold isn't a fan of dancing."

"But he'd do it for you."

Another laugh escaped. "And what makes you say that?"

"He'd do _anything_ for you."

Belle felt a blush creep to her cheeks and she hoped there was still enough mud to hide it. Henry truly was a clever child.

"You could dance here for you wedding, maybe," he said thoughtfully, turning dark eyes that reminded her of his grandfather's up towards the chandelier that had only ever gathered dust.

"There'd have to be a wedding first," Belle murmured softly before she could catch herself.

Henry blinked at her. "I guess I just kind of figured that when he gave up his curse for you that it was a given… Has he never asked?"

Belle shot him an incredulous look, but the innocence of the question was obvious as he looked at her and she found herself speaking again. "He did, in a way."

"I don't think that's one of those things you can sort of do," the boy answered with a shrug.

"Can you keep a secret, Henry?"

"Sure!"

"Rum- Your grandfather proposed the first night we were back, but he was too tired to remember."

"So he wants to marry you. I'm sure he'll ask when we get back."

The words hit hard. "Get back?"

"Well, I guess you haven't seen him. Grandpa Gold, Gramps, Dad, and I are going with Thomas to his dad's castle. It's going to be awesome. I'm sure Grandpa Gold will ask as soon as we get back. He'll miss you too much not to."

Belle couldn't help but smile, the heavy feeling that had taken hold during the conversation lifting a bit. "I hope so, Henry."

"He will. You just have to have faith in him."

"I do. All the faith in the worlds."

"Then everything will be okay." And as if that were all he'd come to say, Henry waved goodbye and was gone, out another door to see if it would lead him to the correct hall this time. Perhaps, Belle thought as she watched him go, he'd taken the door he meant to afterall. There was something about that child that brought light into any room that he entered, and she'd needed those words, just as she needed at that moment to find Rumple.

She started for the door, intent on going straight up to their room, but there was a change in the air that stopped her. It was subtle, but she was learning to recognize it. A smile touched her lips and she turned, finding Rumplestiltskin standing there and looking at least slightly put out that he hadn't been able to surprise her. His warm brown eyes looked her up and down, taking in her mud-covered clothing and the dirt caked in her hair. The smile that only barely touched his mouth was shining from those eyes and he stepped forward and leaned in to press his lips to hers without saying a word.

He didn't complain when she wrapped her arms around his neck, but instead pulled her close. His hands were in her hair and even when they broke she rested her forehead against his shoulder, feeling him hold onto her as if it had been weeks instead of hours since they'd last seen each other. "What was that for?" she half murmured, half giggled into the leather of his vest.

Rumple sighed and the mirth washed out of her. "I have to go away for a few days, Belle."

"Does this have to do with Thomas or Blue?" she asked softly.

"Bit of both. We think Zelena may be after a magical stone or two that could help her. We need to get to them first and it's likely that at least one is being held in the brat's castle."

"Be nice."

"That _was _me being nice."

Belle smiled, tightening her hold on him. "I could go with you."

He pulled away only enough to press a kiss against her brow. "I truly wish you could," he whispered.

"I'm tired of feeling useless, Rumple. I need to _do_ something and now something is finally being done and-"

"That's just it, Belle. Things are in motion and I need your help."

She tried to shoot him a look that said she knew he was playing her, but she couldn't quite find it in herself to believe that it was the case. "What do you need, Rumple?"

"You are one of the strongest people I've ever met. You can do anything you put your mind to, and right now I need you to be my peacemaker, Belle."

"Your peacemaker?" she echoed.

"Regina was particularly nasty to a friend of hers while we were in Storybrooke, but the woman is a powerful sorceress. I need you and Regina to approach her. She doesn't need to side with us, per se, just not against us."

"You want me to go with Regina?" Belle asked incredulously and he winced at her words.

"I'm afraid that's the only way I can think of that it will work. Believe me, I'd much rather have you by my side. You're better at handling arrogant royals then I shall ever be."

"Somehow I feel like I should be insulted," she laughed at him and he smiled.

"It's not your fault you were raised with them. Despite that, you're quite grounded."

"That is _not_ what you would have said when we first met," she tease and took hold of his hands, pulling him into the middle of the ballroom. He gave her a questioning look and she smiled. "Henry and I were talking about dancing before you came in."

"Oh no, Belle, you know I don't dance," he started in, but she squeezed his hands and pulled him to the center of the floor anyway.

"I think, if you're going to ask me to take on a sorceress and corral Regina's tendencies to make people angry at her, then you _owe_ me, Rumplestiltskin. You don't get anything for free."

She watched his eyes grow wide and a low, amused chuckle left him. "As the lady wishes," he murmured lowly and she knew after a moment it wasn't that he couldn't dance, but that he chose not to. There wasn't any music, not really, but she thought his magic might have allowed a distance sort of tune that only they could hear and it didn't matter that she was entirely covered in mud or that two of the most deadly enemies they'd ever met were waiting just around a hidden turn. She laid her head against his chest and felt the steady beating of his heart and he sighed, kissing the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered and she could hear all the honesty he usually hid behind his walls in those words.

"I love you too," she promised him. "Rumple, do you really remember nothing from our first night back here?"

"Not a great deal. Why?"

"We talked. Do you remember that?"

She didn't miss the way he stiffened ever so slightly. "I dreamt that we talked."

"What did you dream, Rumple?"

He didn't say anything for several long moments, but they continued to sway together and she could hear his heart speed up in his chest. Finally, his grip on her loosened and he pulled away, the fear that she knew came not from a lack of courage, but of years and years of self loathing. "I thought it was a dream," he whispered. "I'd convinced myself…"

She didn't mean to laugh at him, not really, but she quickly covered it with by tipping up on her toes and kissing him. "I've been waiting to finish that conversation, Rumple. A girl can only wait so long without bringing it back up."

The magical music had stopped completely now and Rumplestiltskin had gone red in the face. "I… well… I shouldn't want to-"

"Do you _want_ to marry me, Rumple?"

"Of course I do," he answered in a rush and in that moment it was as if three hundred years of life had never happened and he was a young man fumbling his way through it all. She wondered, at times, what the meek spinner that her love had once been would look like if she could meet him. She loved Rumple the way he was and the only change she'd ask of him was the one he wished to make for himself, but in that moment she thought she might be looking at him as he continued to stutter about. "I shouldn't want to tether you to me, Belle. I don't know what I can offer you now. I'm just-"

"Yes," she whispered and he stopped, staring at her.

"What?"

"Yes, I'll marry you. I want to marry you only slightly less than I want to spend the rest of my days with you, but it's all very close."

"You're teasing me."

"A bit, but not really."

Rumple chuckled at this and with a flick of his hand a locket was held between his fingers. "I was already planning to give you this," he murmured and motioned for her to turn.

"Oh, Rumple, it's beautiful and I'm filthy right now. I don't want to soil it."

"You won't," he promised as she moved her hair out of the way and he put it into place. She felt a warmth rush over her as the clasp in back fit together and he gave her a smile. "Did you think I'd send you off to a powerful sorceress' castle without protection? Perhaps if I hadn't been such a fool it would be a ring for you, not a neckless."

"I just need you. You'll come home safe to me, won't you?"

"Of course. And you'll come home safe to me."

Belle smiled and wrapped an arm around him. "Of course," she promised in return. "I would fight to my last breath to come home to you."

* * *

TBC

Notes: So that last scene was going to open up chapter twelve, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It belonged in this chapter, even if it did push it over 6.5K. Hopefully no one will complain, right? :P Let me know what you think!

Next time - Rumple and the others travel to Thomas' kingdom and receive an unexpected surprise while Belle convinces Regina to take a trip with her to the Forbidden Fortress.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve.**

Rumplestiltskin shifted from ecstatic to terrified too many times to count between the moments in the ballroom and the next morning when they had gathered to leave. He hadn't fallen asleep until quite late with his mind a whirl of everything and while his visions left him strangely alone, his own strained mind did enough work to leave him a little thin the next morning.

He'd argued them down to seven people traveling - including himself and now Henry - if they wanted him to transport them to hasten the trip. It made sense, even he had to admit that, but his new limits were still only partially tested and while he had no trouble teleporting himself he wasn't interested in leaving half a dwarf behind and getting blamed by Snow White later. He might be willing to leave half a prince behind as long as it were Thomas, but that too probably wouldn't have gone over well.

The blond princeling was hard on the nerves. He had dictated exactly where he wanted Rumplestiltskin to put them down - over an hour's walk from the actual castle because he was quite certain that his father would be unwilling to help should they simply appear in his court without the proper introductions - and had prattled on about what all that included. He second-guessed everything that was said or asked - making it very difficult for Rumple to get any solid information about the stone that might or might not have been in his father's castle - and was most certain that he had more answers than he actually did. While the former Dark One was less inclined than he used to be to simply reach in and pull someone's heart from their chest and force them to watch as he crushed it, the inclination had gnawed at him a couple times over the weeks he'd been free of his old curse. Well, old habits did die hard, he supposed, and if he were going slip up on his path to doing things better, he supposed he wouldn't regret this one too much.

"Hey, Papa."

Bae's voice startled him out of the mental image that had kept him from _actually_ ripping the prince's heart out and he flashed what he hoped was a mostly innocent smile at his son. The younger man paused a moment, obviously not fooled by the look, but shook it off anyway. "I don't want to know because I probably don't have it in me to tell you not to," he grumbled lowly and Rumple snorted out a laugh.

"I have been on my best behaviour, have I not?"

His son's lips tugged into a lopsided grin and his voice dropped to near whisper. "Of course you have, Pop, but let's just save having to find a place for the body until _after_ we find out if they have the stone."

The elder man chuckled. They really had come quite a ways if his son could joke with him about this without flinching. That, or Bae held more animosity for the privileged Prince Thomas than he'd realized. "Henry is turning into quite the knight," Rumple mused before he inadvertently managed to plot said prince's demise with his son.

Bae nodded, but there was a tightness there as he did, even as his gaze followed his father's to where Henry was riding on the back of his other grandfather's horse. "Yeah. That's all definitely David's doing. Especially the swordplay. I mean, the kids around the village growing up played with wooden swords and stuff, but we didn't know anything. I guess I got okay in Neverland, but I don't know any _technique_ or anything. I've always been better with a crossbow."

"I doubt Charming's is much of traditional technique either, being raised on a farm and all that."

"He was... _Really_?"

"Mm. He doesn't particularly hide it."

"Guess I just didn't know. Thomas doesn't seem to give a damn about that."

Rumplestiltskin risked a glance at his son. They hadn't had much when Bae was growing up, and he certainly hadn't been trained to deal with royals and nobles up until now, and he'd been thrown into the deep end of the pool on that. "Well, he _has_ been a prince for some time now, and our young royal ignores what he wishes to. Like the fact that he was one of those commoners that he turns his nose up at during his stay in Storybrooke."

Baelfire's smirk returned and their conversation was cut short as a messenger from the king came out to greet them. Thomas stepped up to speak with him, closely followed by David to discuss something official that Rumple had no wish to get involved in. The scaly skin and lizard eyes always gained more attention than he did now. Likely he'd be mistaken for a servant or something of the like, and that would work just as well for him. It would give him the movement he needed to search for the rumoured stone.

Henry had piled off the horse and was grinning widely. "That was _so_ cool! There's not much room to ride at the castle. Where _do_ you keep the horses, Grandpa?"

Rumplestiltskin flashed him a small smile of his own. David might be able to teach the boy swordplay and how to waste time on the back of a horse, but the boy's genuine fascination with magic wasn't lost on him. He'd seen how his mother had proven that it was the user that dictated if magic was good or evil and he'd watched with amazement in his eyes as Rumple had put the castle back together. Let Charming play knight. Henry's other grandfather wasn't too worried about falling short on that.

"Well, the castle _is_ enchanted," he answered the lad with a quick wink and Henry's smile only grew.

"Maybe you can show me how it's done? When we get back, I mean."

"Woh there, buddy. Your moms are both already pissed that I took you away from them for a trip. If I bring you back with magic lessons already under your belt I'm going to be in even more trouble." Bae spoke through a laugh, but a hint of unease was rested just below the jovial layer.

"I'm not asking him to teach me magic," Henry promised, but glanced back at Rumple with a glint of mischief that the former Dark One didn't miss. "Not yet anyway."

Rumplestiltskin chuckled and they were starting forward again towards the castle. "I'd have to agree to teach you first, lad. I have to warn you, I'm very picky over my students," he teased.

"If you didn't, Regina would."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that."

"She's teaching Emma."

"Emma's a far cry from her own son."

Henry rolled his eyes but didn't seem too discouraged. Bae, on the other hand, shot his father a rather desperate look and Rumple raised his hands palm-outward in defence. "I would never teach him without yours and Emma's expressed permission."

"Promise?"

"Of course, son, though that's not to say that he doesn't have the aptitude for it." He watched the boy whose attention had quickly been captured by the castle that stood before them, parts of it were still under repair to correct the damage done to it under the Dark Curse. "Everyone has the potential for magic, but Emma - being the product of True Love as she is - lends her own bloodline to having a very strong connection to it. Henry may not give you much of a choice someday."

"Nothing about my son learning magic makes me comfortable, Papa. I've seen what it can do."

"Don't limit yourself, Bae. Your childhood was filled with the Dark One's curse and Pan's magic. He wouldn't need to go down that path. As I said, Henry comes from a lineage of True Love magic through his mother's side. He'd likely be very adept at light magic."

Bae ran a nervous hand through his grey-flecked hair, but didn't counter it. It was not a conversation for moving into a meeting with a king that David hoped to form an actual alliance with against their two enemies, and Thomas' father appeared to be coming to meet them. Along with another man at his side.

"Who's that?" Baelfire asked in a whisper when he saw the way David froze mid-step.

"That," Rumple growled lowly, his voice taught and careful, "would be King George."

* * *

Since Belle had returned to the Dark Castle with the others, she felt like she'd contributed precious little to a fight that she very much had a stake in. She'd cared for the wounded after the attack shortly after they arrived and, true, she's sat in on the council meetings, but part of her thought that she'd been asked to do so as a placeholder for Rumple. No one was under any dissolution that he would do well in those sorts of meetings, even if they were being held in his castle, so she wondered if they'd simply taken their next best option.

_There aren't a lot of opportunities for women in this land to show what they can do._

Those had been the words she'd spoken to Rumplestiltskin so many, many years before, and they weren't quite right. Not anymore. She'd met women like Snow and Ruby and even Regina, now that she was at least trying to be better. Emma was a spitfire if she'd ever seen one and Mulan had taught her - and continued to teach her - not to let anyone dictate what she could or could not be.

When Rumple had first asked her to be his peacemaker for him, she'd been a little discouraged. The fact that the looming proposal, not-proposal was finally out in the open and done so while both parties were fully conscious had helped to ease her spirits the night before, but as she watched them leave through the gates - not even Rumple could take them outside of the gates through teleportation magic with the wards he'd set up - that bit of dread had set back in and she'd wondered if this were simply something to make her feel better.

Several books, a conversation with Aurora, and hours later, Belle felt better about the situation. That was probably not the most common reaction to what she was looking at, but she felt like she was doing some good for once. That was what led her to the courtyard. Regina and Emma had both been irked by the fact that Bae had told Henry he could come along - though if Belle knew the boy at all, she was quite certain he'd worked his own brand of 'stiltskin manipulation to get himself invited along - and had taken to what seemed to be turning into a rather spirited magic lesson that might have started as Regina teaching Emma to block magical attacks, but looked more like the elder woman simply wanted someone to waylay on.

Belle sat on the edge of a wall, pulling a book open in her lap and waiting for them to come to a stopping point. She'd been around Rumple long enough to know that interrupting something of this nature would never get her what she wanted, so she'd learned years ago how to be patient through it, even if the idea was eating her up inside. She waited until Regina finally stopped, leaving Emma mostly intact but hunched over with her hands against her knees and breathing hard. "Couldn't you find somewhere else to do that?" the Evil Queen demanded.

The blue eyed beauty smiled innocently. "I was waiting on you, actually. Though if you weren't done, please feel free to carry on."

"We're done," Emma panted, straightening in a way that made her look like she'd spent the better part of the day before hauling boulders from one side of the castle to the other.

"Not with that attitude," Regina growled out, rearing up for another hit, but Emma's eyes flashed dangerously and the attack was met and pushed back, sending the dark haired woman skidding several feet. Something akin to approval lit her face and she nodded. "There you go. _That's_ what I was talking about."

"Seriously?" Emma bit back. "You could have said that when we started. _Hours_ ago!"

"We've barely been going at this an hour, Miss Swan."

"This time. A five minute break doesn't really count as a break, by the way." She glanced over to their visitor. "Come to watch the free entertainment, Belle?"

"Oh no. I came to ask a question. Regina, you were once on friendly terms with Maleficent, weren't you?"

Regina perked at this, eyes narrowed slightly. "Once, yes."

Belle smiled, closing the book, her eyes keenly focused on the sorceress in front of her. "We've been so worried about this bit and that bit, trying to keep up and work out what's about to happen, yet sometimes it's like we're a step behind. Going to Thomas' kingdom may help in balancing that, but if we do, Zelena's likely to try to tip the scales entirely the other way."

"What are you suggesting, bookworm? We approach Maleficent before Zelena?"

"Yes."

"Listen, I know you… didn't get around Storybrooke much until the curse was broken, but I trapped her under the library for twenty-eight years-"

"As a dragon," Emma huffed. "That she sent me down to fight without telling me she was a dragon. By the way. Still have not forgotten that little part."

"Yes, well, the fact remains that she won't want to talk to me."

"Surely if Maleficent understood how important it is -"

"You'd have to make it into her castle first, then get her to listen," Regina growled out. "It's not like we could sit down and chat over tea."

"Rumple has told me stories about the two of you doing terrible things to each other over the years, yet you've both put that aside for this. Her castle is the closest one to here. We would be there and back long before the others come back from Thomas' castle, and unless you had something better to do…."

"You could always poof us out if she's still that pissed," Emma pointed out.

Regina shot her a look like she'd lost her mind, but then her gaze turned over to Belle's and both younger women were looking at her like she really didn't have a valid excuse available to her. After a moment she sighed. "Is this your idea or Rumple's?"

"He asked me to take care of making sure she didn't fall to Zelena's side." Belle hopped off her perch and approached the dark haired woman. "I'm not asking you to rekindle a friendship, Regina, I'm asking you to make sure the damage that was caused before - for whatever reason - does not hinder us as we go on." She paused, trying to gage the emotions that were flickering just beyond a well-crafted mask of indifference. "But if you did happen to gain a friend back, wouldn't that count all the more?"

Regina sighed heavily. "Damn him," she growled after a moment, glaring at Belle. "And damn you."

Belle just smiled. "I'll take that as a yes then."

* * *

David paused, eyes focused on George. Thomas hadn't said anything about the former monarch being there, and in all honesty David had paid him very little mind since their return. He'd had bigger problems than a dethroned tyrant to deal with.

Blue eyes darted to Thomas and the younger man immediately fell into greetings with his father, though there was a tightness in his shoulders as he glanced over at George. Thomas knew the story, but by the point that he'd become privy to the knowledge that his fellow prince had been raised as less than he, David had proven himself both on the battlefield and in court. It could be difficult to win the admiration of some of those still very much caught up in the old ways, but his and David's friendship was already set by the point that it all came to light.

"Father, I was under the impression this was to be a closed meeting," Thomas said lowly.

"I am not one to turn old friends away," the aging king stated and David didn't miss the smirk that tilted George's lips. To say that they were good friends might be stretching the truth a bit. The two kingdoms had traded with one another for years before Regina had _encouraged_ Thomas' father to pull his support from George - which he readily did - and hadn't come back around until David and Snow had taken the throne.

"I've not come empty-handed to you, Thomas," George assured him. "Though I'd wager this lot has come with more demands than gifts."

David narrowed his eyes, but refused to rise to the bait. Instead he focused on Thomas' father. "Thank you for having us, Sire. I'd like to further the discussions that Thomas has been involved in during the last weeks on how to best protect our kingdoms from the threats at hand." The words sounded scripted to his own ears, much unlike the candid speech he used with the man's son and even the other royals that gathered. Snow had taught him the finer points of how to handle court settings, but he'd always preferred to let her do the talking. Morning sickness had kept her at the Dark Castle though and Doc had advised against her accompanying him.

"And what kingdom would that be?" George cut in. "I understand that after your return that you and several others have been held up in the Dark One's castle deep in the Forbidden Mountain."

"David is not the only one who has chosen neutral ground to come together for the betterment of those that look to him," Philip cut in. He was a quiet sort, prone to listening carefully and weighing options, though David had seen his bravery first hand and had heard more stories still. "Part of my kingdom was left here during the Dark Curse and the Wicked Witch approached my wife and I just before your return. This is _not_ a battle to fight alone if you wish to win it. She will stop at nothing."

Tension filled the air and David heard Grumpy shift behind them. The dwarf was always ready for conflict, but it was it was the silence from Rumplestiltskin that made him the most uneasy. The man had a tendency to hold his own motives close until they were put into play, and that left the young prince relying on Neal to keep him on the right path for all of this. They needed this alliance as much as they needed the stone to be kept from Zelena.

"We wish for our people to be safe," Thomas interjected, glancing apprehensively at his father who gave him a curt nod.

"Of course we do. Come. We'll take lunch and share what we know with one another. Let the past be the past and prepare for our future." His gaze drifted over to Henry, who stood steadily by his father and grandfather. "And this is your daughter's boy?"

"Yes."

"Raised by the Evil Queen?"

"Regina's not evil anymore," Henry piped up. "She's been helping."

The king quirked an eyebrow at the boy's boldness before turning back to David. "And he is... you heir?"

"Emma is, of course, if anything should happen to Snow or I. Henry is her son, so he would be next in line."

"And quite a line it is," George said darkly and his gaze was fixated on Rumplestiltskin. Neal had been an unknown even in Storybrooke, so the rumours had spread much faster that Henry was the grandson of the Dark One rather than the son of Neal Cassidy, or even Baelfire, for that matter.

Rumplestiltskin, in turn, was wearing that almost lazy smile that he'd given them all so many times as Mr Gold over the years. It reminded David of a man that had just run circles around them all and was waiting for that realization to set in. "I'd be careful, dearie," the former Dark One drawled, "that your issues with the boy's other grandfather don't encourage foolish behaviour on your part."

"I'm sure everyone here can be civil," George answered.

"Or at least act as such."

The two men watched each other for a moment before George finally gave, taking a physical step back. Thomas loosed an audible breath and they continued further into the castle.

* * *

When Bae was a boy he'd gone with his father to the Duke's castle a grand total of two times. The first was to light it on fire and steal a dagger, the second was when the Duke had requested the new Dark One's presence. Rumplestiltskin had taken his son with him, mostly because he had been afraid to leave him on his own even by that point, and Baelfire had spent the time feeling very small. At fourteen, he was considered nearing manhood in certain parts of their land. He'd been considered old enough to fight, certainly, but he felt like the child he knew his father saw him as he'd been shuffled in and told to stay close. Dignitaries and nobles parted ways for the one-time spinner that they would have spat on, if they had given that much notice. The constant hand on his back or shoulder had been the only thing that had kept him moving as he had looked up with wide eyes at a world that was entirely foreign to a lad from a tiny Frontland village.

To say that the meeting had ended badly would have been a mild statement. Looking back, Bae was certain that his papa wouldn't have brought him along if he'd intended to kill quite as many men as he did, but the curse was wild in those days, barely contained within his thin frame and bursting from him in darkness that needed to take life. It made him a demon, and more times than not, Baelfire wasn't even sure his father was still alive under it all. But the demon wore his papa's face and spoke with a voice something like his, so it had frightened him all the more when he'd snapped, offended by something one of the Duke's advisors had said offhandedly and the man had found himself impaled by what had been a decorative sword hanging over his lord's head. Bae remembered how the Duke's eyes had gone wide and his knights had come at them, ready to defend their master, but there was nothing left of them when the Dark One was finished. The Duke was one of the few that remained that was neither dead nor had fled when Rumplestiltskin seemed to resurface for a moment above the crushing darkness. He'd tightened his grip on Bae - a grip that had slipped only for a moment while his wrath ripped through the room - and they'd been gone from it, back to their hovel.

Now Baelfire sat with his father at a long table in a king's war chambers discussing what had happened, what was happening, and what could happen in regards to the Wicked Witch and Peter Pan. Really, they were saying quite a bit of nothing, and when he glanced over he saw that same flicker of irritation that had been burned into his memory so many, many years ago flash past the mask of calm his papa was now wearing. George had been talking. He'd been doing most of the talking, actually, and halfway through a sentence Rumplestiltskin lost patience. "Well isn't that just lovely?" he drawled, attention in the room swivelling from the king to the sorcerer. "You think yourself quite on top of the situation, don't you?"

George stiffened, but didn't look to Thomas' father - in that moment Bae realized that the elder man had never given his name during introductions, nor had David even called it - for permission to bite back at the other man's guest. "Better than cowering away in that decimated castle of yours. Tell me, Dark One, do you fancy yourself a lord in those mountains, or just a demon with a stolen castle?"

"I seem to remember you calling on this _demon_ for a few favours in your day. Favours that you never treated well, I might add."

George looked ready to boil. "You did me no _favours_, Rumplestiltskin. I paid you for each fairly-"

"Hardly. You couldn't have afforded my price. Not in the beginning for so high a request. Though you _did_ have your uses in the end I suppose."

Bae watched the back and forth carefully, and put it away in his mind to remember to ask his papa to fill him in later. At least a few present knew the story by the looks that were being passed around, but none dared interrupt the angry former king and the deceptively calm Rumplestiltskin.

George, for his part, had gone very still and was watching Rumple carefully as if a question he'd asked himself had finally been answered and he didn't like the outcome. When he spoke again his voice was low and carefully guarded. "And there was no loyalty for it, nor should we expect any now."

"I've chosen my loyalties, George. Have you?"

"I'm sure you have," the dethrone king bit out. "I dare say that I can expect nothing more from a cow-herder than to be fool enough to trust you-"

"They were sheep, actually," Rumple answered flippantly before David could have, even if he would.

"I don't give a _damn_ what they were!" George growled out. "These are delicate times and not to be trusted in the hands of those that would manipulate them to their own gains."

Bae felt a growing dread as his papa gave a low, dangerous chuckle and he resisted the urge to reach out to him. He had to choose to trust him in that had to choose to believe that his papa was in control and that even though his broken curse did not make him a saint, he was better than he'd been under it. "What are you suggesting, George?"

"I'm suggesting you leave, Dark One. You have no place here."

David was looking back at them now and Rumplestiltskin's dark eyes studied George carefully before turning to the prince that he'd helped match together with Snow White to create a way to break the Dark Curse. Bae was certain that the two men had never been friends, per se, but in that moment a brief flash of understanding past through them and the blond nodded. "That would be best, Rumplestiltskin, if we're to continue with this."

"There will be guards to escort you to the rooms prepared," George added.

Bae watched his father's carefully concealed expression as he stood. His movements were slow and in that moment Baelfire knew that Rumplestiltskin had meant to be thrown out. He wasn't certain what his clever papa had in mind, but there was most certainly a point to it, and dark eyes that were the same as his own caught his and he paused until his father was halfway out of the room before he stood to follow. If it was expected or planned, he didn't know, but Philip seemed to be the only gaze to follow him out.

In the hall he fell quickly into step with the man that had just been tossed out and a guard came up on either side of them. Bae knew better than to ask until they were alone, so he kept his eyes straight ahead, presumably following the guards to the rooms as George had said. Surely the former king wouldn't try anything overly foolish.

"Henry is out at the stables?" Rumplestiltskin asked abruptly, startling his son out of his thoughts.

"Yes. Ella took him out to see the horses."

They rounded a corner into what appeared to be the guest wing for the king's personal guests. The halls were long, with rooms to either side, and when they reached the end of the hall where several rooms were set apart, the guards stopped. "If you need anything at all, m'lords, all you need do is call. We will be right outside."

Even Bae felt a hint of irritation rise up in him. "So what, we're your prisoners?"

"We've been given strict instructions to remain at the doors," one guard said and Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes.

"Well that won't do," he grumbled and magic visibly kept from his fingers as both men's knees suddenly gave way and they dropped.

Bae's eyes went wide. "Papa!" he hissed, but the elder man only shrugged.

"They're just sleeping, son. They won't remember a thing. We didn't need them snooping and reporting on us."

"What do you have planned?"

"Exactly what I meant to do from the beginning. We're going to go look for that stone."

"By _we_..."

"Well, if you'd rather just sit around and wait for something to happen, I suppose you're welcome to. I didn't realize you'd have such qualms over making our way into the treasury to look for what we came here for."

A small smirk tilted Bae's lips. It had been a long time since he'd actually broken into a place, and part of him wondered if his father knew that. He did have an uncanny way of knowing things that Bae had no clue how he'd come across the information. "You need me to break in?"

"Hardly, but I wouldn't mind the company," Rumple responded with a cheerful smile.

"Father-son bonding moments. If I'd only known. So, what? You're just going to magick us in there?"

"No, no. They're not the brightest of people in this kingdom, but they'll have had enough foresight not to hide magical artifacts of great power in a room that can simply be teleported into. We'll have to do this the old fashion way."

"Well let's get going. I'm guessing that you'd planned to do this while David has Thomas and the others held up in their lengthy meeting?"

The smirk Rumplestiltskin gave him held no small amount of pride in it and Bae met it with a grin. Maybe he'd inherited more from his father than he'd ever been willing to admit.

* * *

TBC

Notes: Father-son sneaky bonding. That's really the best :D

Next time - Rumple and Bae sneak into the treasury to find they're not the only ones while Regina, Belle, and Emma find a way into Maleficent's fortress.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen.**

Rumplestiltskin cast a small spell over them that allowed them to pass through the halls unnoticed, if not entirely unseen. It was a simple spell that used very little energy, and he was pleased to note that he could only feel the pull of it in the smallest of ways. Bae seemed perfectly content to help him break into the treasury and he was certain that that should concern him more than it did. The fact that everything seemed to be falling into place - with the exception of the length of time that it had taken to find just the right place to start applying pressure on George that would free them up to leave - made the trip worth wild. Even more, his son was by his side and he didn't have to worry about obnoxious royals was a bonus, and a rather large one at that. This could turn into a decent trip after all.

"I'm actually kind of surprised you know how to pick a lock," Bae murmured as his papa pulled a set of lockpicks from thin air. "I figured you just opened any place you needed to get into with magic."

"There was no magic in Manhattan when I picked the lock on your apartment door."

"I think it's hilarious how you think I was never pissed over that," his son answered as he leaned against the wall, watching Rumple work the lock carefully. "You know, it'd be quicker if you turned it… Here, let me."

Rumplestiltskin didn't argue, but did quirk a questioning eyebrow as Baelfire knelt down where he'd just been and had the lock jimmied open with just a few clicks. "I'm not going to ask you where you learned that."

Bae flashed his papa a grin as he pushed the door open and both men winced at the creaking sound it made. When no guards came rushing around the corner they slipped inside and Baelfire gave a long whistle. "Damn."

The room obviously wasn't just for magical artifacts that the royal family had collected over the years, but for all of their jewels and treasures. Gold glittered, gems shined, and a few stones that might have been large diamonds sparkled. Bae's eyes were wide as he looked over it. "That's… wow. Okay. Makes me wonder if David and Mary Margaret have a room like this."

"Somewhere, I'd imagine. I know Regina did, though her sister may have ransacked it by now," Rumple mused softly as he started forward.

"So what does this stone look like anyway?"

"About so big-" his father answered, measuring out the size of the pendant with his fingers- "and it will be a light colour. Perhaps a very light blue or milky white. Zelena will need to corrupt it to her purposes."

"What do you think she's going to use it for?" Bae asked, kneeling to look through some gems as carefully as he could.

"It's a power enhancer, mostly."

"So you don't have any idea what she might be after?"

"No, not yet, but I have a few things in place to find out. You'll be one of the first to know, Bae, I promise you that."

"Speaking of first to know," Baelfire said slowly, standing and turning his gaze towards his father. Rumplestiltskin blinked at him, feeling like he should be worried about what was to follow, but not quite sure why. "You were kind of off on our way here this morning. Anything you want to talk about?"

The elder man watched his son carefully, trying to gauge if Bae knew and was giving him the opportunity to tell him or if he just had a general feeling and was worried something was wrong. Either way, he probably _should_ tell his son that he'd proposed - if one could call it a proposal, the way he stumbled through it - the night before. "I asked Belle to marry me," he said after a moment.

"Seriously?"

"You don't have to sound so surprised, son," Rumple groused.

"No, it's just… I don't know. You're not the world's best at handling stuff like that. Congrats."

"You don't know what she said."

A smirk tilted Bae's lips upward. "Of course I do. That woman loves you more than anything or anyone. I'm just shocked she didn't ask you first."

Rumple sank down to look through a chest, finding nothing. "Well, I think we were about at that point," he murmured honestly. He glanced over, finding Bae's boots next to him and he looked straight up into his son's eyes.

"Congrats, Papa. You two deserve something good."

He stood, feeling a warmth spread through. He'd always loved Bae, and he'd loved Belle dearly under his curse, but there was a deeper reach to the love now, like so much of it had been kept behind a dam to keep from drowning the curse out. "Thank you, Bae," he managed, his voice breaking slightly.

"Woh."

Both men startled, spinning around and found Henry standing and looking straight up at a particularly tall pile of treasures, oblivious of the conversation he'd just interrupted. His eyes were wide and full of awe and the grin that spread across his features was brighter than anything he'd given off yet. The excitement rolled off him in waves as he bounded over to his father and grandfather. "This is _awesome_!"

"Now Emma's going to kill me," Bae chuckled as he ruffled son's hair.

"The lad can keep a secret, can't you, Henry?" Rumplestiltskin asked with a smile.

"Sure I can!"

"That means 'of course not' in twelve-year-old," Bae groused, but he didn't seem as put out as Rumple might have thought.

"Just because you couldn't keep a secret to save your life at his age doesn't mean he can't," his father returned. "Come on, Henry. You're here. You might as well help us look."

"Did you tell a bunch of secrets as a kid, Dad?" Henry asked, nearly bouncing between the two men.

"Not that I remember."

"You didn't keep quiet about a lot either," Rumple chuckled.

Henry turned towards his grandfather, almost as if he meant to block Bae out of the conversation. "I never hear stories about Dad when he was a kid. I don't ever hear stories about Dad at all. Mom won't even tell me how they met."

"Well, I don't know that particular one-"

"Your mom was stealing a car. I got her out of trouble," Bae input and that regained his son's attention.

"_Really_?"

"_Now_ Emma is going to kill you, son," Rumple teased and received a half-hearted glare in his direction. He cleared his throat, but couldn't quite contain the smile that tugged at him. "Henry will be fine, and he can keep a secret. There's no reason to worry."

A loud crashing sound ripped through the room and both men immediately stepped closer to Henry, protecting him between them. The crash was followed by a howling screech and Rumplestiltskin pulled magic to himself, fire collecting in his hand to throw at the monkey that had somehow made its way into the treasury.

"It's looking for the stone," Bae growled.

"Keep Henry down and out of the way. There's only one."

"_Papa_," Bae hissed.

Rumplestiltskin was already moving towards the monkey, magic swirling around him. The wards that had kept them from teleporting in did not negate his magic once inside and as the angry creature came flying down towards him he lobbed the attack in its direction. Zelena's pets were surprisingly agile and it swerved out of the way, screeching loudly and darted last second before Rumple could catch him, coming up behind and slamming the sorcerer into the floor hard enough to knock the breath out of him. Claws would have torn through skin had it not been for the sturdy leathers he wore, certainly more practical for this than the linens and silks that those that had come with him were in. Not Bae, though. Bae had always been practical.

The creature slammed him hard again as he tried to regain his bearings, and in that moment a flicker of recognition swept through him. The monkey was angry, true, but it was also trying to hold back. It was desperate to hold back. He'd missed a small thread that allowed Zelena her control - she didn't have it completely, but the cursed man was mostly at her mercy at the moment and had likely been told to let nothing stop him - and he was ready to give it a sharp tug when the monkey went flying back, grabbed by the wings and flung a few feet.

Bae came into focus, reaching down and helping his father to his feet. "We have to go."

"No, it's alright. I have this under control. Well, I do now, at any rate," Rumple answered and he _pulled_ on the magical string, watching it unravel as few could. The monkey stopped then, cocking its head to one side and gave a mournful sound.

"What did you do, Papa?"

"Oh, stop your crying," Rumplestiltskin groused at the creature and smoke enveloped it, replacing it with Captain Hook knelt down on the stones of the treasury floor.

"Killian?" Bae managed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about the fact you just attacked me," the pirate growled.

"But you were..." Bae turned a sharp gaze on his father, but Rumple was sure it could have been worse. "You were locked up in the a Dark Castle waiting my my dad to figure out how to unravel the curse."

"I found a way and the captain volunteered his services to help deliver information in a way that no one else could," Rumple answered easily.

"_Volunteered_ might be a bit of a stretch, crocodile."

"Don't be sour. Everything comes with a price."

"Papa," Bae started, but his father frowned.

"Would you rather continue at this whole endeavor deaf and blind?" He smiled crookedly at his son's expression. "I thought not."

"Hey, Captain," Henry greeted as he made it out of the hiding place his father had no doubt tossed him into.

"Hello, lad."

"Focus, Hook. What have you learned?"

"Well it's not like I'm her personal confidant, is it?" he growled as he was brushing off his long coat that had somehow reappeared around his shoulders even though it had not been there when he'd first transformed. The two men squared off for a moment, the battle of wills raging between the one that had taken the other's wife and the one that had killed the other's love. For a moment, it looked like nothing good would come of releasing Jones from the spell, but he rolled his eyes at last. "She sent me here after a stone. This one," he offered, holding out the glittering gem.

"She sent a pirate for buried treasure. Fitting," Rumple said and reached for the pendant.

Hook pulled back. "Oh no. I know better than to give it to you without something in return."

"How about you get to keep your other hand? Remember what happened last time you tried to snatch something of value away from me?"

The pirate sneered, but he didn't even have a chance to hand over the prize as smoke swirled around his hand and the gem suddenly appeared in the sorcerer's. "This is what I'm talking about, Captain. Trust. You most certainly haven't earned it, and at the slightest thought that you might win favour with Zelena, you think about darting off to her with the prize. Does not instill faith, you know."

"At least Zelena doesn't keep dangling my freedom in front of my face."

"She doesn't dangle it because you'd never get it from her. That's the real trap, sunshine." Rumple lifted the gem up to inspect it. "Anything else that might hasten a belief that you've chosen a side?"

The pirate captain snorted. "I couldn't tell you what was important and what wasn't. Pan's there off and on, but I think he's playing her. They've talked about… Oh, what was it?"

Rumple opened his mouth to remind the younger man that the question was being posed to _him_, not the other way around, but Bae's expression cut him off. They both knew Hook was stalling, but his son was a bit more inclined to let him, so he went back to studying the pendant, his magic wrapping around it and snaking through.

His grandson had inched steadily closer. "Is that the real one?"

"Yes, I do believe it is, Henry. We have what we came for."

Hook froze, blue eyes widening. "You're going to send me back empty handed, aren't you?" he demanded. "You don't have the spine to kill me yourself, do you, crocodile? You're going to have Zelena do it for you."

A familiar spark of hatred lit through Rumplestiltskin, but he forced it down. Bae and Henry were both there, and even if they knew what he was, they expected him to be better and he had to try. It didn't matter if the Dark One's curse had left a stain behind, marring his outlook on life and the world around him for the rest of his days, his child and grandchild felt differently, and he loved them too much to allow their opinions to slide into nothingness. "If I wanted you dead you'd have been dead," he growled out instead and with a flick of his hand another stone appeared in the opposite palm. It was identical in every way to the one he'd taken from Hook and he handed it over instead of the real one.

"Won't she know?" the captain asked, his voice holding a bit less bite to it.

"I've wrapped enough illusion around it to keep her thinking she has the real thing. What I need you to do - and then you may go wherever you like - is to find out if she has the second stone already and what she needs them for. This-" another spell leapt from his fingers to wind around Hook - "is your assurance that I'll make good on my end of the bargain. Should she find you out, should you be in danger in any way you will immediately be pulled back to the Dark Castle where I can return you to yourself."

"I thought that you couldn't teleport in or out of the Dark Castle right now," Henry piped up.

"Well, at the gates," his grandfather corrected with a small smile. The boy did have a good memory on him.

"Fine."

Rumple nodded. "Fine," he murmured in agreement and Hook melted back into the winged monkey without any further delay. He clutched the fake pendant in his hand and nodded before taking off and out the window he'd broken through in the first place.

"Thank you, Papa."

The former Dark One turned, his son offering him a tight smile. "For what, Bae?"

"I know you and Killian… have a past. He's irritating as hell sometimes, but he's saved my life more than once. Thank you."

Rumplestiltskin reached forward and rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "Come on. I'd like to be back before…"

"Grandpa?" Henry called, tugging on his shirtsleeve and Rumple's eyes turned towards the window. "What is it?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "Something's coming."

Rumple didn't wait for acknowledgement as he tore through the door to the treasury, making sure that all three of them were outside of the wards before he gave a sharp _tug_ with his magic and they landed in the room they'd left only a couple of hours before. Bae looked slightly nauseous at the sudden displacement and even Henry swayed a little, but Rumplestiltskin was at the window before a surprised sound could leave George's throat from where he had _still_ been talking. Just as he'd feared a dark cloud was rushing towards them, tinged green with Zelena's scorn, and perhaps even backed by his own father's power. It would rip apart anything in its path and it was coming straight for them.

* * *

"I'm going to kill Rumple," Regina said as the three women stood looking straight up at the fortress that was perched on a structure of some sort at the base of the Forbidden Mountain.

"It kind of looks like the mountain just fell away and the castle forgot to go with it," Emma said slowly, the thoughts bouncing around in her mind until they fell from her mouth.

"Fortress," Regina corrected. "Never call it a castle to her."

"Why?" Belle piped up and the Evil Queen shrugged.

"Because she's determined it's a fortress."

Emma crossed her arms over her chest, pulling in a deep sigh and letting it out through her nose. She knew it was possible for someone other than Maleficent to enter because her father had before the curse had swept them all away, but there was no visible path, no staircase as far as she could tell, and it looked like an impossible climb. "So how do we get up there?"

"Well, your father probably scaled the wall," Regina said and somehow managed to make it sound like he'd been a fool for it. Emma would have liked to see Regina try to scale that wall. _That_ would be funny. "But we'll be using magic."

"Won't that tell her we're coming?" Belle asked innocently.

"It would if it were my magic," Regina countered and Emma didn't like the way she was looking at her now, "but we're about to have a teaching moment, Miss Swan. You're getting us to the top."

"I'm… what?"

"You heard me."

"Yeah, but I think you're forgetting that I've barely figured out how to block magic thrown at me, and even that took me the better part of the week. I'm supposed to do what? Poof us all up there?"

"Oh no, dear," Regina said with a smile that Emma was sure wasn't even supposed to look friendly. "There's a place… here. This is the best one that should lift us straight up. Like you did the plate a couple of days ago."

"The one that fell and shattered?"

Belle took a step forward, studying the steep incline. "Rumple always says that magic is based in emotion and some of the most powerful magic can come from wanting to protect those you love. A plate had no meaning to you, I'd think, but getting to the top does because it gets us one step closer to winning the fight against Pan and Zelena, which keeps those you love safe."

Emma blinked owlishly at the younger - elder? - woman. She hadn't thought of it like that. Regina's method of teaching thus far had been to throw her into a situation and find out if she succeeded. If there'd been a bridge or a ledge for her mother's stepmother to toss her off of, the blonde was pretty sure she would have done it just to see if she could protect herself. Belle was right though. Gold _had_ always linked magic with emotion and the man might be a little crazy sometimes - most of the time - but he knew what he was talking about when it came down to magic. That begged the question why he wasn't teaching her instead of Regina. "Okay," she said after a moment. "I can see it that way."

"Seriously?" Regina choked out.

"It makes sense."

"It… Fine. Whatever gets us up there."

Emma smirked and then closed her eyes, focusing everything she had on the three of them. She couldn't let them slip, because even if Regina did reach out and catch them, it would alert Maleficent of their arrival a bit earlier than any of them thought would be useful. She could feel her feet leave the ground and somehow she knew that the others were coming with her. Slowly, climbing, she pictured Henry and focused on his face. She thought of how afraid she'd been when Pan had him and how she wanted - _needed_ - to prove to him even now how much she loved him and that she could be a good mother to him. His face was joined by her parents' after a moment and how much she wanted to see them smile, restored to their kingdom that they loved so much and to really _see_ the life that they spoke of so fondly. Then there was Neal… His face flickered in with that smile that wasn't shy, but wasn't quite cocky either. It was something unique to him and she found herself wanting to protect him too somehow.

"Emma," Belle's soft voice broke through and images in her mind flickered out and hazel eyes blinked opened.

Storybrooke's savior came crashing down, but thankfully just to the ledge that she'd been hovering over. Belle and Regina were already standing there, but if Belle hadn't said anything she might have just kept going. Regina would have let her too, she knew, just to prove a point.

"Ow," she grumbled as she picked herself up.

"Let's get this over with," the Evil Queen growled and Emma brushed her trousers off, about to snap out a sarcastic response about terrible teachers, but Belle's hand came to rest on her shoulder.

"That was truly impressive, Emma."

"Thank you, Belle," Emma answered, shooting a look at Regina as if to say _At least someone appreciates my skill_.

Regina ignored it and they continued on into the fortress.

* * *

"What _is_ that?"

"Magic," Rumplestiltskin answered David in a taught voice. It was still too far out to get a good reading on it with his new limitations, but even as far out as it was he knew that he didn't have enough time to protect the whole castle or even the wing in which they stood.

He glanced back, and he saw something in George's eyes beyond the underlying nervousness that had taken hold of the room and in that moment he knew - he knew beyond anything - that Thomas and his father were simply pawns. Stupid, ignorant, and easily manipulated pawns, but pawns nevertheless. They didn't know they were being moved around the board. George, though, had thought he'd taken the upper hand. He'd thought he had made a deal that would give him his power back. He'd always been a foolish and greedy man, but Rumple had never been on the receiving end. In that moment a rage took over him and he wasn't sure if he simply crossed the room that quickly or if he'd actually flickered out and back in, but he had the former king up against the wall with his hands around his neck. George was taller than the sorcerer, by quite a bit Rumple realized in the back of his mind, but that didn't seem to weigh in on the fact that Rumple slammed him _hard_ against the wall, snarling in his face. "_Did you think you could get away with it?_"

"Rumplestiltskin!" David called out, but the man was smarter than to approach him.

"You can't!" Thomas tried and Rumple only tightened his grip and ground out his words through clenched teeth.

"I'm going to let you breathe in a second and you're going to tell me exactly what I want to know. You should speak quickly, though, George, because you know I'm _not_ a patient man."

He eased his grip ever so slightly and the former king sucked a breath in. "I can't tell you anything. She'll kill me if I do!"

A laugh bubbled up, low and angry and certainly not something that gave anyone in the room any encouragement. "That wasn't the question," Rumplestiltskin said and tightened his grip again if only to watch the man squirm. "Now, Zelena has already proved you are more than expendable to her to get what she wants, but you just _might_ still have a chance to win some favour from me. Choose your side wisely, dearie, but know that if any harm comes to my family that I will make sure you're the last that her curse she's sent our way kills. It'll eat through you until you beg for death, do you hear me?"

George gasped again as fingers loosed. "The wine. At lunch," he managed, gulping in air. "She gave me a small vial of potion. It's meant to follow all of you. There's no escaping it."

"Papa, can you counter it?" Bae asked, eyes darting to the window and he had a grip on Henry.

"There's no time," Rumple managed and he focused on his grandson. "Henry, did you have any of the wine?"

"I'm twelve."

"That's not what I asked," he snapped, hating himself for it, but there wasn't time for kindness. Not now. Not if he wanted to save at least one life that evening.

"No, I didn't."

His grandson was gone in a swirl of magic and Rumple's eyes met his son's. Bae looked shaken but not angry. His son would be safe and that's what mattered. Above everything, and that was something that they could understand each other on.

"It'll take everything out," Thomas managed, sounding sick and he turned his terrified eyes towards George. "Ella and Alexandra are here. They're _innocent_!"

"It'll take out where we are if it's chasing us," Rumplestiltskin said as his mind whirled, fitting ideas together with bits of the future at a pace few would be able to follow. He could split them up, send them to all parts of the castle. No, that wouldn't work. It would destroy everything then. He could teleport them away from the castle, to a field or something, but even if the potion that they'd drunk hadn't made it so that they couldn't leave - how had he missed it? How could he have _possibly_ missed it? - that would set the head-on with the attack and Bae would have no chance of living through it. He needed something around them to help build the shields to protect his son with. "There has to be a place. Not far, it can't be far," he muttered, almost to himself as images flickered through his mind. "Deserted."

"The Southern tower's under construction," Thomas said. "No one's there."

The words had barely left the younger man's mouth and Rumple's magic pulled them there. They landed almost in a heap and George stumbled to his feet. "I didn't drink it!" he growled out, as if that somehow meant that _he_ should be the one to live.

"If we die, you're going with us," Rumplestiltskin bit back.

"Can you stop it?" Philip asked, looking out the window at the cloud that had followed them without missing a beat. It seemed closer than it had even in the war room.

"Get back," the sorcerer demanded and pulled roughly to stand with the others. He had to thread together some sort of protection and he had to do it fast. Even with his curse this would have been a rush, but his limitations were still greatly untested. "Just stay back."

He heard Bae and David moving the others back. There were eight of them all together including Thomas' father and George, and trying to leave one person out from behind the wall of protection would take too many extra threads than he had time for. The strands of magic obeyed his command like an old friend coming to his aid and they wove together, bits of gold and red threading together into a shield and he put everything he knew and felt into it. All the promises he'd made and the hopes that he had. Every failure he'd made had taught him a valuable lesson, but he couldn't afford a lesson here. He couldn't afford failure if he wanted his son to live.

The green smoke poured in and the whole structure shifted. Stones scraped and wooden beams cracked. He could hear the people that were depending on him trying to remain quiet, but the noises that accompany nerves of that magnitude were like screams in his ears. They were taunts telling him that he failed, like that little voice that had been so ever-present in his mind for so many long, long years, telling him that he was nothing without his curse. He'd given it up and now they'd all die because of it. Because he'd been fool enough to think that someone could love him and that he could love her in return. He'd failed them all.

Magic bore down on his shield and Rumplestiltskin felt himself sliding back. The palms of his outstretched hands burned and he bit back a cry. "Take cover," he managed instead and he heard the sound of those with any sense scurrying to do so.

"Papa?" Bae's voice sounded so young in that moment. He hadn't moved and if Rumple weren't careful, the blast would take them both out, but Bae knew that. He had to have known that. "You have to take cover too."

"I will. Right behind you son," he lied out the promise.

If Baelfire were going to heed him or not, Rumple couldn't have known, but he was being overpowered, so he did all he could do and gave one last _push_ against it, pulling only a bit of his magic away from that push way to make sure his son was clear of the actual bast. He tried to move too, but he felt it hit him hard and throw him, tumbling forward, but alive. He was alive enough to feel the ceiling come in on them before everything went black.

* * *

Belle wasn't sure what she had expected, but this wasn't it. She remembered there being guards posted at every hall when she'd been a prisoner in Regina's castle and Rumple's magic kept people from entering his home without permission. So far they hadn't run into any guards and no magic had picked them up to deposit them in some other kingdom. Despite its name, the only thing that seemed overly forbidding about the fortress was the height at which it was built.

The three women moved silently into the fortress, and the only company at this height seeming to be a raven that swooped down and squawked at them, receiving a glare from Regina that looked distrustful.

Emma snorted. "Got a problem with birds?"

"Just those," Regina answered carefully and studied the bird. It seemed to be studying her in return, cocking its head quizzically and finally gave a loud squawk as it dove past her and down a hallway towards the interior of the fortress.

"That's not just a raven, is it?" Belle asked, gaining the Evil Queen's attention.

"What makes you say that?"

"Its eyes."

Regina hummed softly to herself and started down the hallway that the bird had flown down. Belle and Emma exchanged looks before following, winding through the halls behind the dark haired queen. The bird was just ahead and seemed to circle around when it felt it was getting too far ahead and Regina kept her eyes fixated on it as they followed. Belle didn't dare argue, but somehow it seemed like a terrible idea to wander into a sorceress' home after a bird that was more than a bird without an idea of where they were going. Regina, though, seemed to know something more than she was willing to say.

Finally, once they'd wound around the labyrinth of halls and were deep inside the fortress, the queen let out a huff. "We didn't come here for your games, Diaval. Where is your mistress?"

The raven squawked at her and Regina flicked her hand, releasing magic from her fingertips and the bird went spiralling. It seemed to bring the desired result, though, because her painted lips stretched as the air grew chillier around them. Emma reached for her sword and Belle steadied herself against the magic that gust around them like wind, threatening to topple them as Regina had the raven.

Footsteps echoed against the stones and a woman appeared, tall and blonde and amused. She called the bird - Diaval, as Regina had called him - to herself and he flittered over, landing on her arm and she stroked its feathers gently. Her blue eyes danced with mischief barely controlled and she smiled, though it was hardly welcoming. It reminded Belle something of a predator playing nice with its prey before gobbling it up.

"Get tired of the unicorn?" Regina asked, stepping forward and towards her old friend that she'd managed to trap below the library for nearly thirty years before helping the savior kill her. Obviously _that_ hadn't stuck.

Maleficent continued to stroke the bird's feathers. "Diaval can take many shapes. You know that." Her eyes shifted, falling on Emma and Belle in turn. "I see you brought friends. Hello, savior."

Emma tensed, gripping her sword a little tighter. She didn't move forward, but she didn't fall back either. The reluctant princess simply stood her ground against the sorceress that was known to transform into a dragon from time to time and met her eyes bravely.

The blonde sorceress tutted. "Such a serious expression. Really, Regina, this is what you get when you start toddling around the Enchanted Forest with Snow White's daughter. Perhaps you wouldn't be quite so desperate for friends if you hadn't betrayed me quite so badly."

Regina didn't rise to the bait and the elder woman looked put out by it. She sent the bird flying and magic slammed into the Evil Queen so suddenly that the others couldn't follow it. Emma rushed in to try to help - after all, she _had_ defeated her in dragon form once, hadn't she? - and was sent skidding across the stone floor. "Silly child, this isn't your fight," the sorceress said airily.

"Please, we're only here to speak with you," Belle said as she took a step forward.

She could feel Maleficent's power come to do her bidding, but the woman wasn't able to say anything as the magic rebounded on her before it came close enough to do Belle any harm. It slammed hard, perhaps harder than Belle would have been hit by it, and Maleficent was thrown against the wall. She sank down, looking as if her head might be spinning and for a moment even Regina looked worried for her. A slow, musical chuckle left her throat and she pulled herself up to her feet. "Now who are _you_, my dear?" she all but purred.

* * *

The sound of what was left of the roof creaking ominously overhead was the first thing Baelfire could place. He wasn't entirely sure where he was between the ringing in his ears and the sharp pain in his head. It was like an explosion had gone off, throwing him clear across, and as he tried to sit up he was certain that's what had happened. It was dark and dusty. Very little light made its way in, but the few streams that did come through showed nothing that instilled any more faith in the stability of the room than the creaking had.

Bae reached back into his mind, grasping at memories and trying to put them into order. They'd left that morning at the break of dawn to travel to Thomas' castle. They'd gotten there around midday, eaten, and gone into a terribly boring discussion with some dethroned king that Bae was certain he wasn't a fan of before the man had promptly kicked his father out after Rumplestiltskin had goaded him.

His father's name brought memories crashing in. The stone. The attack. His papa sending Henry away to save his life and then pulling them all… to this place. This place that was falling down around them because his magic hadn't been strong enough to save them all, so instead of letting it hit the others, he'd protected all of them. It was strange, but he'd done it, and somehow that notion made Bae all the more desperate to scramble to his feet and find him.

"Neal?"

Bae squinted against the darkness and could barely make out Philip's silhouette. "Yeah. You okay?"

"I believe so," the young prince answered, though he seemed a little rattled. "You?"

"I got my bell rung a little, but I'm okay."

"Your… what?"

"Nevermind. Have you found anyone else?"

"We're over here, looking for Grumpy," David called softly, as if he feared speaking too loudly might remind the ceiling it hadn't taken them out quite yet.

As if on cue Bae could hear the sound of debris shifting and a dwarf sat up swearing and cursing.

"Have you found your dad?" David asked.

"Not yet." Bae carefully picked through the rubble, careful not to disrupt anything that might bring it down on their heads. Nothing was completely clear and he hoped that was the lack of sunlight making its way in and not an injury. He felt strangely intact for having been so close to the blast itself, and besides the headache he thought that he was mostly just bruised. They were deep bruises, but nothing that wouldn't heal.

Dark eyes latched onto a form that looked more human than destroyed masonry. As he drew closer he could see his papa's outline becoming clearer and he felt a panic bubble up inside of him as he realized that he was half buried and not moving. "I found him," he called, the desperation sounding in his voice as he sank down to the floor next to him, pushing back dark hair. "Papa? You've got to wake up," he whispered, hands moving to check for signs of life. "Please, Papa, open your eyes."

His pleas did nothing and Rumplestiltskin didn't stir, but Baelfire kept begging. He would hear him, he was certain. His papa wouldn't leave him again. Not after everything they'd both been working so hard to fix everything. He couldn't let him go.

* * *

TBC

Notes: Cliffhangers of doom. Got to love them.

Next time - Rumplestiltskin makes a choice, Zelena goes after Henry, and Maleficent decides Belle is very interesting.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen.**

When Rumplestiltskin had first met the seer he'd been young and naive. He'd put away all thoughts of dark magic - or any magic, really - for more practical solutions to life. After all, those in the Frontlands had real problems that required real results, not flights of fancy such as jumping through a portal to another world where one could eat cake all day. That would just bring about more trouble than it was worth.

He'd never been ambitious, really, but he'd been willing to do what needed to be done to support his family, both Milah then and the children that they'd wanted to have. That had been why he was so excited for the commission. The money from it would support them, or that had been the plan anyway. Meeting the seer had changed everything and he'd found just how far he was willing to go to help raise his own child.

The seer hadn't been there when he'd shattered his own ankle, nor had she been there in the weeks that followed when he'd waited to know if he would be released in shame or put down like a stray dog. In the end, they didn't have the manpower to put him down, and they certainly didn't have the supplies to properly handle his injury. That's what they'd told him and it really hadn't mattered if he believed it or not. Once he was able to hobble his way away from the camp, he was sent on his way and was half-starved by the time he made it home to a wife that couldn't stand the sight of him.

Rumplestiltskin didn't spend an extraordinary amount of time thinking about those moments, because even after he'd placed a more permanent fix on the mangled limb while in Neverland - he would have been more useless than the Charmings if he'd tried to limp his way around the jungles - it could still bring a ghost of a pain if he thought too long or hard about it. Now, though, it was the pain that dredged up the memories, but he wasn't sure it was just his ankle hurting. _Everything_ hurt, and as he broke through yet another layer of unconsciousness, he seemed to remember something had happened.

They'd been tricked and he'd fallen for it. Fool that he was, he'd fallen for it, and now he was paying the price. Bae and Henry were his priorities - though he wouldn't mind getting out of it all relatively intact himself - and he knew Henry was safe. Bae had been standing there like waiting on him could have saved his papa. Rumple couldn't pull from his scattered memories an image that proved Baelfire had found cover in time and he could feel the fear take hold as the only image readily available to him was the one of the seers _should-have-been_ from his dream with Bae lying dead. As he neared closer and closer to the surface that would allow him to break through to wakefulness, his son's name fell from his lips.

"Papa?" he thought he heard, but opening his eyes would clear that final layer and the pain would come crashing down in full. He had to know though.

Rumplestiltskin forced his eyes open and felt his breath leave him. His vision blurred immediately and a terrible sound met his ears. After a moment, he became aware enough to know it had come from him. He couldn't move and he didn't dare try. It felt like half the ceiling had come looking for him as it fell and a good part of it had found him. He couldn't pinpoint the pain, but it jabbed and poked with every shallow breath and he blinked hard to try to focus his fading vision.

"Papa?" That was Bae's voice. He'd know his son's voice anywhere. He could feel trembling hands against his face and smoothing back hair. When Baelfire finally did come into focus he his face lit up. "Hey," he greeted in a breath.

"Hey," Rumple choked out. It was almost impossible to breathe, and when he did finally try to shift the pain shot through him and a cry left his throat.

"Easy, Papa," Bae urged. "Lie still. You're pinned pretty good."

The sorcerer stilled at his son's pleas and he focused on the different bursts of pain, trying to get a feel for how bad the injuries were. He was lying face down on the floor with debris piled on top of him. It felt layered, with big and little pieces fit just so to make it impossible to simple wiggle out. The way it was pressing against his back and ribs made taking anything more than a shallow breath near to impossible. Pain shot in so many different directions that he couldn't be sure where it originated from.

He could hear shuffling behind him, but at his angle he couldn't turn well to see, but thankfully David had never been slow to speak. "We could do more harm than good trying to shift this stuff off of him."

"It's not going to do anyone any good if that roof comes in on us," Bae pointed out. "Papa, we're going to try to get you free. You okay?"

"Yeah," he managed, shutting his eyes briefly against the pain he knew was about to come.

"Stay with me, Papa," Bae murmured and he felt his son's hand on his shoulder that was just barely free of the wreckage.

There was no count, no warning, just a sudden shift and then relief of pressure and Rumplestiltskin found himself coughing and choking against the dust that tossing it aside picked up. There was pain, but not nearly as much as he expected from it and once the coughing subsided he could finally drag a deeper breath into his lungs. He lay there for a moment panting and revelling in the fact that he _could_ breathe again before someone touched something that sent pulsing pain through him. "No no no _no_!" he howled against it and he heard the damn dwarf grousing as he shuffled back.

"Papa, it's got to come off. We've got to get out of here."

"Can't he just magick it off?" Grumpy asked, still sounding put off.

"No, I've hit my limit," Rumple gasped out through the fog that the pain brought on.

"Then we'll get it off and we'll walk out, but that roof is coming in. We have to go," David said sternly, like believing it could happen would make it so. But Rumple knew - he _knew_ - that he wasn't walking anywhere. He knew what shattered bones felt like and when they pulled the wreckage off his leg it would be just as mangled as the day he'd taken a mallet to it, possibly worse. He hadn't been able to pinpoint the pain until he got his breath back, but now he didn't know how he missed it.

"I'm not going to be able to walk," he managed to voice.

"Then leave him," George growled.

"You've lost your say in this," Philip snapped out. Apparently the kind hearted prince had finally hit his limit for the day as well. Rumplestiltskin wouldn't forget either remark.

"We'll carry you out then, Pop, but we have to go," Bae murmured, his voice soft but rushed. He took hold of his father's hand and looked back. "Go."

Rumple realized what they were doing just before it happened and he gripped his son's hand with everything in him. Bae squeezed back and pain shot through his leg as debris lifted off of and scraped against it. His breaths were coming in gasps now with breathless screams interwoven in them. He shook terribly, but there was no time for that and Bae was already coaxing him back to coherency. He didn't want to come back. It hurt too badly.

"Come on, Papa."

An image broke through his safeguards, crashing through just like the ceiling was about to crash down. They weren't going to make it. Even if they left him, even if they weren't carrying him, he didn't know if they'd make it. The knowledge must have been written on his face because Bae grimaced and looked up only to be rewarded with a terrible and dangerous creaking from above. They only had moments.

Rumplestiltskin forced himself up on trembling arms. There had been many times he'd dragged himself from place to place after he'd broken his ankle and before they'd finally sent him on his way. If he could do that, he could do more. He had it in him, he knew. He had it in him for Bae. "There's no time," he rasped. "Come closer. Everyone come closer."

"I thought you said that your magic was depleted," Charming murmured.

"It is, but would you rather have me give it a try or resign yourself to letting another child grow up without you all over again?" the sorcerer demanded. He'd known that he had struck the right nerve when the look that flashed across the prince's face and he nodded, motioning everyone in closer.

"Not you," Rumple growled, even as his strained magic began to swirl around them, leaving George from it.

"You can't just leave me here to die!" the dethroned king shouted.

"Can't I?" And then they were gone as the roof came crashing down.

He'd known it would be a rough go, he knew that it would take reaching beyond his limits to bring them all through safely, but it was the only option he'd had, and he'd let George pay the price. Still, even with that, his magic tugged and pulled on him, demanding more than he thought he had left to give, but somehow he brought them through and they tumbled out, slamming hard into the floor in a hallway back in the tower in which they'd left to save those they loved. Groans could be heard all around, but Rumple felt the world pulse dangerously, his right leg the cause of it. Same damn leg, he thought angrily as he just barely managed to cling to consciousness.

Hands were on his face before moving to carefully ease him up so that he was leaned up against the person pulling him. "Hey, Papa, take it easy," Bae said calmly in his ear. "Take it easy."

His breathing was erratic and Baelfire wrapped one arm around him, taking hold of his hand with the free one. "I've got you," he promised and very slowly Rumple started to try to control it.

"I'll send for a healer," Thomas said, but Rumplestiltskin was focusing on his son's quiet words in his ear. It helped adjust his concentration, pulling it back to himself so that he could make his mind work. There was something there, past the pain and exhaustion. He held onto Bae and tried to reach for it, the pieces of the puzzle slipping through his fingers.

"It's okay, Papa. We're safe now. Everyone's safe," Bae murmured, tightening his grip.

Then he caught it. It was just a flash, but the blood ties helped pull it forward. Henry. Zelena was after Henry. Or Pan was, it really didn't matter, Zelena would be with him shortly if she wasn't already, and they'd all been a marvelous distraction. Rumple's eyes snapped open and the warning bubbled in his throat before he shoved it immediately back down as soon as his eyes met his son's. Bae would go after Henry and Zelena would have her chance. He'd just barely managed to save him. What could he possibly do for him now? But if he didn't say anything then Zelena could harm Henry. The boy had grown on Rumple more than he'd care to admit - more than he'd ever thought possible - and he knew in that moment that the fear that he felt for Bae was the same fear Bae would feel for Henry.

"It's okay. The healers are on their way. They'll have something for the pain," Bae promised him and his father shook his head and the words tumbled out in fits and starts.

"That's not… Oh, Bae, I had a vision that she's going to kill you. That's why I've been… That's why I've been so worried. Please, Bae, I can't lose you," he whispered desperately, his words coming out between gasping sobs. He forced himself to look at his son. He couldn't take this choice away from him. No matter how much he wanted to hold onto him, to protect him with everything he had, he couldn't. He'd promised to try harder, and with that in mind, he scraped up just enough courage that the next words left him. "Zelena's after Henry."

"She's _what_?" David demanded, dropping to a knee next to the father and son on the floor.

"I don't know… That's all I can see. That's all…"

Bae tensed and let out a shaky breath. "You know I have to go after him, don't you?"

"I know," Rumple acknowledged brokenly. "I know and I can't-"

"I'm coming back. I swear to you, Pop. I'm not leaving you. She's not taking me or Henry away from you, I promise. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, Bae."

His son squeezed his hand and pressed a kiss to his temple. "I've got to save my son, but it's not either or, Papa. I promise. I'm coming back. Where is he? Where did you send him?"

"With Ella."

"Thank you, Papa."

The healers were coming down the way now and they knelt around him as Baelfire stood, speaking to David and Thomas in rushed tones. "Take care of him," he told the healers and Rumple watched him leave down the hall through tear-blurred vision, praying to anyone that would listen that his boy would come back to him.

* * *

Belle stared at the barely standing sorceress. Her own rebounded powers had thrown her back, and Maleficent seemed more than a little intrigued as she moved forward, circling at a distance, but never quite stepping closer, a curious expression etched into her features. "That's Rumplestiltskin's magic."

"It is."

"Well, well. It does appear someone came prepared," she purred, the smile returning even as she glanced over at Regina. "Unlike some. Tell me, what did you pay for that pretty little trinket?"

Belle blinked, her fingers going to the locket that Rumple had given her. He'd said it would protect her, and now she knew how true that was. Briefly, she wondered just how far it would go. If she'd fallen on their way up, would it have caught her?

She didn't have time to think on it too long as Maleficent circled just a little closer, eyes somehow catching the light from the setting sun that was streaming through a high window. "It feels...different from his usual magic." She glanced back to Regina. "What _is_ your former mentor up to?"

Regina was still brushing herself off. To her credit she hadn't turned the outburst into an all-out witch fight, but from what she'd said on their way there, Belle thought she might hold at least a smidge of remorse for locking her friend up the way she had. Perhaps she was just paying her dues in her own mind. "Rumple is the reason we're here," Regina said after a moment.

"Playing messenger? That's unlike you."

"There's a lot at stake, and would you have allowed anyone else in?"

"Honestly, I expected you weeks ago," Maleficent answered with a shrug. She gave no warning as her magic swirled around them, depositing them into a sort of large throne room where a small, dark unicorn approached her. "Hello, Diaval," she greeted and patted the pony's head before taking a seat on her throne and offering a smile. "So what in all the realms does Rumplestiltskin want from _me_ that wouldn't bring him here himself?"

"Rumple is taking care of an issue elsewhere," Belle answered, regaining the blonde's attention.

"_Rumple_ is, is he?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Focus, Maleficent. Have you been approached by anyone recently? Anyone that would have been asking questions or was trying to pull you to their side?"

Maleficent's playful expression evened out. "I think it's time to put away the games Regina."

Belle watched the two women participate in what must have been a silent conversation before Regina nodded, Maleficent stood, and they both walked towards the door and out of it without a word to either Emma or Belle.

Emma stared at the door. "We should have gone with Neal and Gold," she grumbled, and Belle couldn't find it in herself to disagree.

* * *

Henry had been all but tossed into Ella's chambers, startling the princess and Henry alike. One moment he'd been standing with his father holding tightly to his shoulder, answer his grandfather's questions that had seemed absurd at the time, and then the next he was falling off balance with little Alexandra toddling over to make sure he was okay.

His first mistake was to tell Ella what had happened. He hadn't known her well in Storybrooke, but she was more determined that most people gave her credit for. She'd called a guard to stand at the door in case Henry tried to make a run for it, and sent another two to find out what was happening. She'd then turned and informed him that she owed Emma more than she could ever repay and the least she could do was keep him safe.

He'd felt the chill when the wave of dark magic had come for them in the war room and he was sure that that was what he felt ghosting over the section of the castle he now resided in. Green smoke passed harmlessly around the spirals of the castle, aimed for the tower that remained under construction from the damage done by the Dark Curse. He crossed the space between where he'd been and the window, hands pressed against the windowpanes and dread setting deep. "They must have teleported over there to keep us safe."

Ella held Alexandra in her arms, the little blonde girl burying her face in her mother's shoulder. She was too young to understand what was happening, but Ella wasn't as much of a fool as Henry's Grandpa Gold said she was. It hadn't taken a great deal of explanation for her to understand what was happening.

They stood together, helpless as the magic slammed into the tower, wrecking it as it went and taking large chunks of it to the ground. The princess clung to her child as she watched what was surely her husband's death playing out before their eyes.

As the magic dissipated, having done what it had come to do, Henry felt like he was waking from a dream and he darted to the door without warning, his name called out after him. "I can't just stand here! What if they're trapped? Grandpa Gold was with them. He wouldn't let anything happen to Dad, so the others will be safe too. We have to-" The door was halfway open, but it didn't open to an empty hallway, or even the guards that were posted to keep him inside.

Zelena smiled down at him. "Hello, little one," she greeted.

Henry pulled back, but he wasn't quick enough as magic wrapped around him, holding him in the air like a puppet pulled by strings. He struggled against it, only bringing a short giggle from the green-skinned woman in front of him.

"Let him go!" Ella demanded.

"Precious, aren't you?" Zelena sighed and in a burst of magic the princess was thrown back, slamming hard into the opposite wall and collapsing fully to the floor.

"Ella!" Henry cried out when she didn't get back up and Alexandra started crying. He started fighting again, this time harder than before. "They didn't do anything! Why'd you have to hurt them?"

The Wicked Witch moved into the room, her blue eyes focused on the boy that was held suspended with his feet dangling off the ground. He'd heard bits and pieces about her, though no one seemed to want to say too much. He'd heard about half a conversation, from what he could tell, between Regina and his grandpa saying that the woman was his mom's elder half-sister - Cora's daughter born several years before she'd even met Regina's father - and Rumplestiltskin had briefly taught her. She was exceptionally talented, though his Grandpa Gold had confessed that he did not question his choice that he made on which sister should cast his curse.

"Rumple's grandson and my sister's adopted son. How quaint," Zelena said as she looked him up and down like she was expecting to find something. "Are you really everything that your _darling_ great-grandfather thinks you are?"

"You can't trust Pan," Henry said, finally ceasing his struggle. "All he does is lie."

"Most children do."

"He's not really a kid, he's-"

"I'm well aware of what he is," she snapped. "But he does seem to be right on some things. You, in particular."

She stepped closer and Henry kept himself from flinching. He was the grandson of Prince Charming, Snow White, and Rumplestiltskin. One of his mother's was the savior of Storybrooke and, in reality, the whole Enchanted Forest. His other mother was the former Evil Queen, trying desperately to find the good that had once been in her for _his_ sake. His father was Baelfire, the boy that had traveled through worlds and had always pulled himself out of every situation a little stronger than before, no matter the dangers. He was _not_ afraid of her. He wouldn't be, even as he felt tendrils of magic wrapping around him in their search, but for what, he couldn't be sure.

"So much courage," the witch purred. "And quite a clever mind. Just like your grandfather." She leaned in even more so that she was in his face, her magic pulling him up so that they were on eye level with each other and her voice was barely more than a whisper. "And the Heart of the Truest Believer. Maybe this _can_ work."

"I'm not doing _anything_ for you," Henry said firmly. "Nothing you can do can make me."

There was a terrible crashing sound outside and instantly he knew the tower that had been hit had finally collapsed. Pain shot through him as he thought of his father and grandfathers that could be trapped, and Zelena's painted lips pulled into a smile. It was terrible, though, and full of evil and wicked ideas. "That, my young friend, is simply a failure of imagination on your part. I suppose you have to have a flaw somewhere. No wonder your great-grandfather isn't ready to just scoop you up."

"Pan wants me for my heart. He's using you."

"No, dear, I'm using him. Now come along, there are plans to be made."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"I beg to differ," she said, but as she reached out to him and touched his wrist as if to pull him through along, Henry could feel a warmth building inside of him, fueled by the love he had for his family that so desperately needed his help in that moment. They could still be alive, simply trapped and needing help. He needed to get to them and he needed to do it fast.

The feelings built, and as Zelena's green hand moved to take hold of his own wrist, power shot out from him and threw her back as hard as she'd thrown Ella a few minutes before. She screamed, her skin boiling and steaming and she turned wild blue eyes on him, but even as she gasped against it a twitching smile made its way to her face. "You're the product of True Love," she whispered, her voice rough. "I don't have to wait for Snow White's baby after all."

The door burst open behind her and Henry's dad was the first face he saw, followed immediately by Gramps and Prince Thomas. Zelena smirked at them and disappeared in a swirl of green smoke, even as Gramp's sword was flung forward and buried itself deeply into the wall behind where she'd been standing.

Thomas moved to gather Alexandra up and check on Ella even as Neal wrapped his arms around his own child, pulling Henry into a crushing hug. "You okay, buddy?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "I think so. Is Ella…?"

"She's okay," Thomas murmured. "She's coming around."

"What happened, Henry?" his gramps asked, and Henry looked over at them. They were covered in dirt and grime and blood. They'd been in the collapsing tower when the magic had hit. He wouldn't expect Thomas' father or King George to have come rushing to his aid, but Grandpa Gold certainly would have, and probably even Prince Philip. A fear built in him and he refused to let go of his father.

"Where're the others?" he asked, voice trembling slightly. "Where's Grandpa Gold?"

Neal loosed a shaky breath. "He's hurt, Henry. He'll be okay though. I left him in good hands with Philip. We'll go see him, okay?"

Henry nodded, not quite sure if that was the whole truth or not. His grandpa was alive, at least, and that was a start. Zelena hadn't been able to kill his family.

Gramps was kneeling down next to he and his father now, looking up at him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "What was she after, Henry? Do you know?"

"Me. She was after me," the boy whispered. "I don't know why. She said something about my courage and my mind and… and my heart. What does it mean?"

David looked up to Neal who shook his head. "I don't know, but I bet my dad will. He's been looking for information to put together what Zelena's looking for, and that's probably it. Is that all, Henry?"

Henry chewed on his bottom lip. That had been magic that had driven Zelena back. His grandpa had said he had an aptitude for it from his mother's line, but Neal hadn't seemed happy to hear that. It might be better, at least until he understood what was going on, to hold off on that part of what had happened. It had been magic, after all, that had driven his dad and his grandpa apart. He could risk losing his dad now that he finally had him in his life, and he could ask Grandpa Gold about it when they went to see him. Once he had answers, once he knew what _really_ happened, he could tell Neal. "It all happened so fast," he murmured, dodging the question.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Neal answered with another hug. "I'm just glad you're not hurt."

"Can we go see Grandpa Gold now? I want to make sure he's okay."

"Sure thing."

"Henry!" Alexandra called as they moved towards the door. Her father had finally set her down and the waterworks had stopped. She flashed him that bright smile of hers and pointed up into the air. "Pretty lights!"

Both his father and gramps shot him a questioning look and the almost-teen shrugged.

* * *

The fact that Henry was acting a little bit off really didn't phase Bae. He had an arm wrapped around his son's shoulders and wouldn't let go as they followed Thomas' instructions on the best way to get to the wing of the castle that the healers would have taken Rumplestiltskin to. The castle was in an uproar, but that was to be expected. The king had been duped - well, that was the middle ground that Bae had found in his own mind, because he leaned more towards purposeful ignorance while others might have called King George crafty - and was trying to do damage control. David had slipped off to finalize deals that had been delayed, leaving Bae and Henry to check on Baelfire's injured father.

Philip looked worn as they approached, still covered in dirt and grime from the tower collapse just as Bae was. He stood straight from his slouched position against the wall and tried to offer a smile. "Good to see you, young sir," he greeted Henry.

"You too," the boy answered.

"How's he doing?" Bae asked, looking towards the closed door he was sure his papa was behind. It'd been hellish trying to leave him when he did, and he was certain that anything short of Henry's life and wellbeing couldn't have made him do it. Now that his son was safe, he needed to get to his own father and prove that he'd made it back without any additional injuries past what he'd already endured.

"In and out," Philip murmured noncommittally and Bae nodded as he pushed the door open.

Bae had never had a great deal of experience when it came to medical attention in the Enchanted Forest. Growing up in the Frontlands they'd had a midwife that helped women through their pregnancies and best he remembered she sold elixirs that did next to nothing on the side. Anyone that was trained as a healer in the Frontlands was almost immediately snatched up by the wars and the people learned to care for themselves to a great degree.

The room where his papa lay now reminded him of some sort of cross between this world and the Land Without Magic. The bedsheets were impossibly white and they made him look pale with his dark, grey-streaked hair plastered against the pillow and back away from his face. A woman, also dressed in white, looked up at Bae and Henry's entrance, but didn't seem too started. "As I told the prince-" she began, but was quickly cut off.

"I'm sure you did, but I'm his son. I… I need to know that he's okay."

The woman's expression softened and she stepped back, letting Bae move closer and around the other side of the bed. He finally released his hold on Henry to do so and the boy stayed back, watching his father carefully.

Philip had said he was in and out, but he appeared to be more out at that moment. His brows were drawn together and his face taut with pain, but those dark eyes were closed against the outside world.

"The debris shattered the bones in his ankle and into his leg. There's only so much to be done for a bad break such as this," the healer said. Rumplestiltskin's leg was propped up, bruising already beginning to show and Bae winced just looking at it. In one spot he could see the stitches that she'd just finished and he was certain that the break had been worse than he'd realized, the damage partially hidden by his boots that now lay tattered in the corner of the room. His papa had spent all of his younger years limping about from place to place, but his magic had put an end to that. He thought it had, at any rate. He'd done a fair amount of limping around Storybrooke as well, from what he'd seen, but he'd finally braced the old injury enough that he could walk on it without the help of a cane. He had no idea what a second bad break would do to it.

"I've set it, braced it, and cleaned it to stave off infection," she continued as if she wasn't sure if he were listening or not. "Now he needs rest. Someone should stay with him to call if he needs anything between the times I come to check on him."

"I'll be here," Bae promised.

"Me too," Henry offered.

She might have said something else, but he barely heard it as he sank to his father's bedside, taking his hand in his own and pressing it to his forehead. The elder man didn't stir as his son tightened his grip and felt the weight of the day barreling in on them. Rumplestiltskin's confession surfaced above the rush of emotions and Bae pulled in a shaking breath. "I'm here, Papa," he promised, his voice rough, and the hand in his twitched a little.

Bae opened his eyes, finding a pair the same shade staring up at him blearily. "Bae," his father rasped and his fingers tightened a little more. "You're alright? Henry?"

"He's fine, Papa. David tried to make Zelena into a shish kabob and she ran."

Rumplestiltskin chuckled, wincing even as he did. "You're alright though?"

"Told you I would be."

His papa smiled tiredly. "I'll take those told-you-so's as long as you'll give them," he murmured.

Henry had come up to the other side of the bed and sat very carefully on the edge, making sure not to jolt his grandfather. "Glad you're okay."

"You too, lad," Rumple answered him, reaching his free hand up to the side of the boy's face affectionately. "You too."

Bae felt at least some of the weight lift at that and he squeezed his papa's hand. "Get some sleep, Pop. We're not going anywhere. Promise."

Rumplestiltskin nodded and Bae settled in to the chair next to the bed, gripping his hand even has his papa slipped back into sleep. The lines were a little more eased now, and he couldn't be sure if it were something the healer had given him finally working or if it was the hold his son had on him, but he didn't want to risk letting go.

* * *

TBC

Notes: If you haven't noticed, I tend to like father-son relationships in my stories, especially the complicated ones like Rumple and Bae's. I'm a fan of the show Fringe that was on a few years ago, which has a similar dynamic between the father and son in the show (Walter and Peter) and there was this fantastic scene in maybe the third season or so where someone that could see the future tells Walter that he will need to 'give him the keys and save the girl'. What that turned out to mean was that to save a life that they were trying to save, Walter (the father) would have to take a leap of faith and possibly sacrifice his son in order to save the girl's life. While I was writing this chapter I realized that I'd inadvertently given Rumple and Bae a 'give him the keys and save the girl' (or in this case, the boy) moment. I find it very interesting to watch Rumple grow, both through the show itself and through various stories that I read and ones that I write. He's a complicated character, to say the very least, and to him, his son is the ultimate sacrifice he can make. Not entire sure there was a point to this little note, other than just an interesting observation. Feel free to let me know your thoughts :)

Next time - Regina and Maleficent make amends, Henry seeks his grandpa's advice, and Zelena discovers Belle.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen.**

Regina had forgotten what the view was like from the Forbidden Fortress. The way it sat, you could see miles and miles. The mountains blocked the back view, but the ocean was beautiful with the setting sun dipping down, leaving darkness in its wake. It spread out like a shadow, and she remembered her first time laying eyes on it. She'd been young and angry. When she'd met Maleficent in the woods, looking up at the structure in hopes of providing distraction from her miserable life, she had mistaken her for a fairy. It hadn't been long after her introduction to Tinker Bell, so she'd been hesitant, but the blonde sorceress had been entertained by her. It hadn't been until she'd driven everyone away that she and Maleficent had grown close, though. She'd never been a teacher or mentor, but she'd been a friend. Often advice was given, born out of many years of existence, and there were times that Regina thought the elder woman did care about what happened to her. Cared a great deal, in fact. If she still did, though, it was hidden far behind the walls she'd constructed over the last thirty years in which she'd had nothing better to do than stew in her anger, reminded of the betrayal from time to time. If there was one thing that the Evil Queen regretted about her curse, it was that she'd trapped her only friend in that way. She could have just as easily wiped her memories as she had everyone else, but instead she'd let her anger betray her and she'd left Maleficent to rot, just as so many had before.

"You have some nerve showing up like this and expecting my help," the elder woman was saying. Diaval hadn't followed them in and Regina supposed she couldn't blame her old friend. The last time she'd let her little pet near the Evil Queen without a quick route of escape, it had cost her, and she did love him as a unicorn.

Regina tilted her head. "You know it's important if I was willing to reverse my entire curse."

Maleficent studied her, those blue eyes catching the fading light in a way that reminded Regina of the heritage that they never spoke of. "Why should I care if it's important to you?"

"Oh don't be petty, Maleficent. You and I both know you're little show out there was more than enough-"

"More than keeping me locked away in some strange world as a dragon? Or perhaps sending the little saviour down to try to kill me."

Reminding her that it was actually Rumple who had set it up so that Emma had to put her father's sword through Maleficent's chest would hardly encourage her cooperate. "Thirty years is nothing in your lifetime," the queen snapped back.

"Nor is the length of our friendship, apparently. Was your little bout of revenge on Snow everything that you hoped?"

So that's what it boiled down to. Maleficent was still sore over what she saw as a betrayal. It wasn't as if she hadn't undermined Regina more than a few times, but this had hit her as nothing else had. She saw it in those eyes and in the lines around her mouth that was pulled into a frown. She was cross with her, and more than that, she was hurt.

Regina pulled in a deep breath. "I can't say I regret it," she murmured slowly. Navigating truthful waters was difficult for her, but thinking of how far she'd come just recently helped, if only a little. "That curse brought my son into my life. I wouldn't give Henry up for... Well for anything. He's the one that Pan is after."

Maleficent blinked. "You found a way to fill that hole again."

"In the most unexpected of places, yes," the Evil Queen answered, surprised by the softness of her own tone.

The blonde straightened, but some of the tension relaxed even as a table and chairs appeared suddenly, knocking Regina's knees so that she sat down hard. Maleficent reached for the newly appeared tea pot and poured a cup, offering it to her old friend. "I do believe you owe me a story."

* * *

Clara - the healer that had been assigned to help them - had explained shortly after Henry and Neal had arrived that she was keeping Rumplestiltskin asleep intentionally to keep him from shifting his ankle too badly. Once he'd woken up enough to see that his son and grandson were alive and well, that had been enough for Neal and he'd settled in for the wait, explaining to Henry that it'd give his grandpa some time to recover his magic too so that he could handle his injury on his own.

His dad had a funny outlook on magic, and Henry wasn't sure he fully understood it yet. Sometimes he acted like he hated it, with a nervousness bordering on the fear brought about from deeply ingrained childhood trauma with magic as the driving force behind it, but then other times, he seemed to surface from that and think practically about it. Henry wasn't certain enough about the reasons that drove the opinions to risk bringing what had happened up to him yet. He didn't even know exactly what that had been, but if anyone would, it would be his Grandpa Gold.

That's one of the many reasons Henry volunteered to keep an eye on him when Neal went to go get their breakfast the next morning. Rumplestiltskin hadn't stirred all night, so when he did start to shift, the boy was instantly by his side. His grandpa looked like he was battling his dreams. It had been some time since Clara had been in to check on him, so whatever they were using to keep him under was obviously wearing off. Henry pulled the chair up to the side of the bed and thought carefully about what his father would do to help. Hesitantly, he took one barely trembling hand in his own smaller one. "Grandpa Gold?" he called softly.

Rumplestiltskin came out of his sleep in a rush, eyes flying open and a soft sound escaping him, as if it were just cut off. Henry waited with wide eyes until he got his bearings, and finally those same eyes flickered over to him and his grandpa seemed to ease a little. "Henry."

"Hey. How're you feeling?"

The elder man shifted, taking inventory of the hurts and pains. "I'll heal," he murmured noncommittally after a moment. His eyes fluttered closed again, and for a moment Henry thought he'd drifted again. "Where's your father?"

The question came out rough, his voice tight while waiting for the answer. Henry had seen the way that his dad and grandpa had interacted and the fear that had been there when Rumplestiltskin had woken before. It made him wonder why the elder man was so determined to be afraid and what he might know that Henry did not. "Just getting breakfast," he assured him.

Rumplestiltskin nodded tiredly and reached up, his hand coming to the side of Henry's face. "Glad you're alright," he murmured and Henry could see him fading again.

"Grandpa?"

"Hmm?"

The boy's dark eyes flickered to the door. He needed to know. If it was important that anyone else know, he shouldn't keep it from them, but if it would freak his dad out, he didn't want to do that either. "Can I ask you something?"

Heavy looking lids slid slowly back open and it took a moment for the sorcerer to focus on his grandson. When he did, his brows drew closer together. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know if it's _wrong_ or not," Henry said softly, glancing back to the door again. "Zelena said some weird stuff when she came after me."

This seemed to catch his grandfather's attention and he blinked several times, clearing his vision and shifted, wincing as he did. The pain seemed to bring some clarity though and he took on a look that Henry had seen when he was intent on solving a problem. "Do you know why she was after you, lad?"

"I think so, but Dad knows that already and… I need to know about something I haven't told him yet."

"What would you keep from your father?"

"I… kind of think I used magic. I didn't mean to, but I was so worried about Dad and you and Gramps… It just threw her back. I didn't mean to and I -"

"Henry, slow down," Rumplestiltskin said softly, his hand returning to the side of his grandson's face and Henry hadn't realized how wound up he was getting. "It's alright."

"Dad's going to be mad, isn't he?"

This actually brought a soft chuckle from his grandfather. "Of course he won't, Henry. He won't. I'll promise you something that you'll learn for yourself someday when you become a father: your child's safety trumps everything else. He'll just be glad you're alright, no matter how it happened. But -" he winced, the sentence cut off by it and he closed his eyes briefly. Finally, he reopened them and pulled in a breath. "But it's still best you tell me what happened. Untrained magic can, in the right circumstances, do more harm than good."

Henry pulled in a deep breath and focused on what had happened. "She was going to take me with her. She said she needed me for something and that I was going to help her. All I could think about was getting to you guys and it just… hit her. It felt really warm and she started steaming."

"Light magic," his grandfather mused. "So I was right about that. I knew you had it in you, but I wouldn't have thought it would have come through so strongly. I underestimated you, Henry. You'll have to forgive me for that."

The boy gave him a crooked smile, feeling a bit of pride welling up inside of him, but it instantly faded as Zelena's words echoed in his mind. "She said something weird, even after. She said I was the product of True Love and that she didn't need Grandma Snow's baby." He felt a little sick even as he forced the question out. "What would she need with Grandma Snow's baby?"

This caught the injured sorcerer's attention. "What were the other things she said, Henry? What did she need you for?"

"I don't know for sure. She said something about my courage, my mind, and my heart."

The door opened and grandfather and grandson looked over to see Neal walking through, a tray of food in his hands and no matter how tired appeared, his face lit up a little. "Hey, Pop. How're you feeling?"

Henry watched as a slow, calculating smile crossed Rumplestiltskin's lips. "I think I know what Zelena's up to."

* * *

Everything hurt. It was like acid had rushed through her veins, pushing and shoving its way through. It made her bones ache as it settled in, refusing to release her even after she'd teleported away, and as she landed she felt the room sway a little, the floor unsteady beneath her feet.

But that was okay. That was all temporary and the brat's magic would wear off and she'd be ready next time.

"You look a bit too happy for a dark witch that just had light magic shoved down your throat by a twelve-year-old."

Zelena's eyes flickered over and she saw Pan lounging on _her_ fainting couch - the fact that it was actually Regina's didn't seem to matter - and he wore a lazy sort of expression with a very faint smile tilting his lips. He knew she had something more than when she left. She shouldn't tell him, shouldn't trust him, but she could hardly contain herself. He had, after all, set her on the track to the boy. "It was worth the price," she said as she dusted off her dress. There wasn't any dirt there, not really, but she felt as if some had been left after the painful experience.

"Do tell," the fake-teen replied and Zelena tipped her nose up in the air.

"Henry is the product of True Love. I won't need Snow White's baby after all. I can use Henry for all of it."

"That'll take more than the one stone you managed to take from poor old King George."

"Don't say it like you actually feel anything for it."

"Why not? You pretend to be fond of me just so that you can use my powers. Your welcome, by the way, for the power boost. Are Prince Charming and my resilient grandson good and buried?"

Her expression darkened. "Rumple managed to get them out."

This caught Pan's constantly wavering attention. "Rumple was there? Why?"

The witch shrugged. "How should I know? He decided he wanted to go. He can be… difficult to predict."

As quickly as he had seemed interested, Pan drifted again, amused by a flock of birds flying right past the window. "You retrieved the stone though?"

"Of course I did."

"Well let's see it then."

"I don't have it yet. I sent one of my pets after it."

Pan snorted, but Zelena only smiled as a monkey came screeching through the open balcony window and landed in front of her. "What a good pet," she praised. "Did you bring me what I asked for?"

"Which one is it?" her accomplice asked as he finally roused from his reclined position.

"The pirate. I thought he'd be a proper thief, and it turns out that I was right," Zelena mused as Hook handed her the stone, bowed, and was off to go about whatever her monkeys did when she had nothing better for them to do. She turned it over several times in her hand and she touched the smooth surface. This had been the Witch of the North's pendant. When the former Witch of the West had taken the stone from George, she'd immediately felt the telltale signs of her magic radiating from it, even if the life of its owner had been cut short. That pendant's magic had been steeped in wisdom, and the moment she'd laid hands on it she could feel that it would amplify that requirement for her spell.

Her fingers traced over this one now and she could feel the power radiating off of it, but there was something different. "There are four stones," she explained, feeling Pan's eyes on her. "The one we collected earlier is wisdom, and this one… This one should be courage."

"Should be?"

Zelena turned it over in her fingers again. Everything felt normal when it came to the power, but there was something… just slightly off. If she hadn't had one of her own, if she weren't so very well acquainted with the way the stones harnessed their magic, and if she hadn't seen the absolute courage in the elder witch's eyes as she'd plucked her heart from her chest and crushed it, Zelena would never have known, but there was something lacking. "Rumple," she growled out suddenly, feeling rage build up within her.

Pan chuckled. "Had the stones been swapped, he might have pulled it off, but as it stands, the village coward can't seem to pull together enough to provide that level of courage."

"The pirate-"

"Is not a problem. He's a fool that can be handled later. What we need to do is to teach my son a lesson."

His tone was light, but Zelena heard the darkness behind them. The need for vengeance worked its way through her system as surely as Henry Mills' magic had. Perhaps deeper. "And what do you have in mind?"

Pan grinned toothily. "I think it's past time that we pay Belle a visit."

"Who's Belle?"

"The little flower that broke his curse, of course."

Zelena felt her lips stretch into a smile. "So _that's_ her name. I agree, we have been rather rude. My dears," she called out to several of her monkeys that were lingering nearby. "Find me this Belle and we'll pay her a little visit."

* * *

"I'm going in there."

"No," Belle answered quickly, reaching out and grabbing for Emma's wrist if for no other reason than she knew the blonde was being entirely serious. She was just as upset at being left out to wait as Emma was, but they had to look at the bigger picture. They'd been sent here to mend fences, and while she thought that being left in Maleficent's Great Hall for hours on end was terrible on the sorceress' part, this was most certainly not the worst thing that could have happened in coming to this place. She was sure they'd both dozed at various points, long ago having given up and taken a seat on the steps leading up to the throne, but they'd received no restful sleep that night and the two sorceresses were still behind the closed door.

This wasn't the first time that Emma had stood, declaring that she had had enough, but Belle wagered to was the rising sun that was just barely clawing its way over the horizon that had set her on it again. This time she didn't let Belle pull her back down. "They've been in there for _hours_. If I wasn't going to be stiff and sore from yesterday's magic lessons, then making me sleep on a set of marble stairs is doing the trick." She tugged her wrist loose and started for the door. "I don't care if-"

It opened as she was posed to enter mid-rant and Regina glared at her and sent her skidding out of their way with a flicker of her hand. She turned her dark eyes to Belle who was standing a few feet away. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"She means I've promised not to side with her wicked sister," Maleficent said with false sweetness. "Though I have a stipulation."

"What is that?"

A smile stretched the blonde's lips. "I'll speak to Rumple directly about all of this."

"He's tied up at the moment."

"Yes, but he'll be back," Maleficent said as she strode past Belle, her deep purple dress flowing all around her in an unnatural way. She reminded the younger woman a bit of what she'd read about sirens, and not for the first time since arriving the night before she wondered what sort of relationship she had had with Rumplestiltskin. "I don't mind waiting."

"At the Dark Castle?" Belle managed.

"Where else? It'll also give me a chance to meet Henry."

"Gold is kind of picky over who he lets in," Emma murmured.

"Gold? What a clever nickname. Do you have trouble pronouncing it in full, little saviour? Most of us just call him Rumple."

Belle stared, the words never quite making it to her lips that very few people, actually, managed to call him Rumple and get away with it. She'd heard Snow call him by his nickname only once to his face and had never heard her try again after the look she received.

"You can let her in, Belle," Regina put in and glanced back at her friend. "The castle listens to her."

"Does it now?" Maleficent purred.

Belle watched them carefully. Rumple was most certainly overrun with visitors, but it this was her price it hardly seemed too high. He would be irritated, but in the end it did seem to be the best decision she had in front of her, and it wasn't like she could pick up the phone and call him. He trusted her to make the right decision, and now she had to have faith in herself that she would.

"They should be back today anyway. You shouldn't have to wait too long."

Maleficent smiled and reached her arm up. The unicorn that had been snoozing in a corner woke, and as he moved towards her he transformed back into a raven and settled on her outstretched arm. "Splendid. Shall we then, Regina? If I take us, the castle will toss me three kingdoms away."

Belle felt magic gather around them and they were picked up from the fortress. Regina's teleportation magic, from what Belle knew if it, was fairly advanced and smooth, so when they jolted off their path she thought maybe exhaustion was the culprit. They had, after all, been up all night.

They landed hard and even Emma seemed to know something was wrong with it. Belle watched the two sorceresses and the princess pick themselves up and look around. They were in the forest that wove through the Forbidden Mountain and linked to Sherwood Forest down the other side. Belle had opened her mouth to ask what had happened when a laugh echoed around them, no one attached to it that could be seen.

Regina froze, brows knit together and lips pulled down. "Come on out, Zelena. We don't have time for your games."

"Don't be such a spoilsport," a new voice said, but this one Belle recognised. Pan swooped down, laughing like the child he appeared to be. He came in close to Emma, toying with her, and barely missed the fireball that Regina threw his way. He landed on a tree branch, head tilted to the side and studying her.

"The next one won't miss," the Evil Queen promised.

"Now now, sis," Zelena chuckled as her magic wrapped around each of them, holding them in place. "We're not even here about you. Wait your turn."

Belle risked a glance back and they were all caught, even Maleficent by the looks of it. Emma was struggling against it uselessly, her eyes burning with rage as Pan floated back down to the ground, grinning like mad. "Hello, savior," he greeted cheerfully. "How's my great-grandson?"

"You're not getting near Henry," Emma snarled.

"We'll see about that. He may have some uses yet."

Belle's eyes darted forward when she felt the shift and the green skinned witch was standing right in front of her wearing a firm pout on her painted lips. They were dealing with children. Two incredibly powerful children with the ability to turn their tantrums into life-threatening situations for those that opposed them.

"So you're Belle?" Zelena asked sourly. "You're the one that broke Rumple's curse when he came through?" If she could have, Belle would have stiffened as the elder woman leaned in, studying her closely. "You're not much, are you?"

"You don't know anything about me," Belle answered steadily, meeting Zelena's gaze.

The pout turned into a smile. "This little one is brave," she directed at Pan.

"Something that Rumple has always lacked," Pan mused as he floated upward, sitting with his legs crossed midair as if he were merely proving that he could.

"And it cost him this time," Zelena agreed, reaching out to toy with Belle's hair. "Dearly."

Belle turned her glare in Pan's direction. "Rumplestiltskin is one of the bravest men I've ever met. He doesn't lack courage when it counts. Not anymore. You don't know him at all."

Pan rocked back, never touching the ground as he started laughing. "He couldn't even face me without his magic! You didn't see him quivering on the floor like a frightened babe before he got the cuff off."

"You won't face him without yours either, but he'll beat you even without his curse," Belle snapped back, determination in her eyes. "He _chose_ to break it. He's not afraid of you. Either of you, and he _will_ win."

That stopped the laughter and Pan straightened, coming to land on the ground and he glared at her. Zelena snarled and reached out for her as if she'd wrap her hand around the younger woman's neck. Belle kept the knowing smile from her lips, simply staring at her as she reached. She didn't have to be able to See the future to know that the protection Rumple had left her with was good.

Power slammed into the Wicked Witch, sending her flying until a tree stopped her. A loud cracking sound resignated through the forest and she was gone, though if she'd left of her own free will or if Rumplestiltskin's magic had sent her away to keep Belle safe, none of them knew. Maleficent took a step forward, and with a flicker of her hand the rest of them were released as she turned a playful smile in Pan's direction. "Run along."

He met her gaze and returned the smile. "Is that your answer?"

"That's my answer," the Mistress of All Evil responded with a pleasant smile.

Pan shrugged. "Have to keep the game interesting."

They watched him go and Maleficent turned her blue gaze towards Belle. "What did she mean that you were the one to break Rumple's curse?"

Belle straightened. "He's no longer the Dark One. Rumple kissed me when we got home and it broke his curse."

Maleficent studied her for a moment, all playfulness gone. "You're quite a bit more than you seem, aren't you?"

"I suppose that depends on what I seem to you," Belle answered with a smile, but then her expression turned serious as she looked back at Regina. "Did that seem to easy to you?"

The Evil Queen blinked and took a step forward. She reached a hand out and stopped midway. "I'm checking for something," she explained, as if she wondered if the necklace might simply react if Belle felt threatened. When the younger woman nodded, she continued in her search and Belle could feel bits of magic searching over her. "There."

"There what?"

"Maybe you are as clever as Rumple seems to think you are," Regina mused, turning back towards Maleficent. "A tracking spell."

"Hmm. Designed to let Zelena through the wards. Interesting. Do you need help dismantling it?"

Regina snorted. "Just because I don't like to pull spells apart doesn't mean I'm incapable. I can handle my sister's magic."

A weight that Belle hadn't been sure was there lifted as Regina's magic disentangled the spell from her and there was a soft sound of it unraveling and dissipating into the air, the pieces of the spell separated and useless. "Thank you."

"Let's just get out of here before anything else tries to jump out and stop us," Emma groused and magic swirled around them before anyone had time to agree aloud.

* * *

TBC

Notes:

Next time - Regina saves Robin from Maleficent in an unexpected way and Rumplestiltskin and the others return to the Dark Castle.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen.**

"Clara said to stay off of it, Pop."

Rumplestiltskin shot his only son a glare over one shoulder as he continued to ease himself off the bed. The spell he'd cast on his ankle to help knit it back together was slow working, but that was the way that it had to be. A quick fix spell was well within his power, but twice on the same bones would do more damage than it would good. The body simply wasn't made for that, magic or not.

They'd already wasted _days_ in this place and he knew he just wanted to go home. Thomas' father had been more than eager to help once his faulty alliance with the former King George fell apart - death will do that to a partnership - and he he had scrambled to make himself look better. From what Rumple had heard, he'd made it clear the night of the attack that Thomas had free reign over their military for anything that David needed and David was certain that that would clear up any trouble from them. Granted, that would also bring Thomas back to the Dark Castle for a prolonged period of time, but in the grand scheme of everything that could go wrong, that was the least of his worries. Putting weight on his right leg, though, probably should have been a bit higher up.

His injured ankle buckled beneath him at the first step and Rumple grabbed for the bed, barely catching it before landing in a heap on the floor. Pain raced through him and he squeezed his eyes shut against it, fingers buried in the fabric of the bed covers and he didn't even hear Bae's approach. A hand settled against one shoulder, supporting him, and he was eased back so that he was sitting on the bed. "These told you so moments," he son teased softly.

"Don't get cheeky with me," Rumplestiltskin groused, though his voice was rough due more to the pain than actual irritation directed at the younger man. He tried to offer a smile to prove it, but he wasn't sure it quite made it as a pained moan left him and Bae eased him back down and against the pillows.

"That'll be the day. You know, when a doctor tells you to do something, usually it's not for their own health. It's for yours."

"I hate doctors."

"When have you ever actually been to see one? I mean, did they even have one at the front when you were in the war?"

Rumplestiltskin grimaced and hoped his son mistook it for the pain from his injury and not the memory. He'd never gone into detail over how his ankle had been broken the first time, and if it were up to him, he'd continue to let that event gather dust in the back of his memory. He'd done it for Bae, of course, and there was no question in his own mind about that. It wasn't the bravest thing he could have done, but Belle had spent many a conversation trying to convince him that it most certainly wasn't a cowardly act either. He almost believed her, but any prolonged time spent thinking on it would likely undo that.

"Papa?"

"Yes yes," his father answered, dragging himself back to the present. He couldn't let Bae grow too worried if he wanted to get home. If it were up to his boy he'd be lying around in bed until the injury was fully healed, and while his magic would certainly take care of that long before it would have healed naturally, that was still quite a ways away. He didn't dare think of how long. "I'm here. I just… We're leaving today, Bae. I can't stay another moment."

"You shouldn't be up-"

"I'd like to sleep in my own bed."

"Just a couple more days and…." Bae's plea died on his lips as his father turned a glare on him.

"No."

"Where's Belle when I need to her talk sense into you?"

"You can both fuss about it when we get home."

Baelfire snorted softly and shook his head. "I'll make you a deal, Papa." He grinned at the distrustful look he received and raised his hands in mock surrender. "Just hear me out. You let Clara take one last look and you promise to do anything that she advises once we get home. Deal?"

"That's rather open-ended, Bae…"

"Or I could just have her knock you out again."

It hadn't be Clara that had knocked him out, truth be told, but Bae. His son had a streak of trickster in him and he'd slipped a potion of the healer's own design into his father's tea when he refused to stay down. Rumplestiltskin hadn't tasted it - this was really becoming an issue - until he'd felt its effects and Bae had eased him back down into the bed. He'd been so angry, but the anger hadn't made its way to the surface to be verbalized before everything had simply slipped away into a painless, dreamless sleep that afternoon. That didn't mean that he'd forgiven him yet. "I'd like to see you try." He pushed a long breath out through his nose and relaxed back against the pillows just a little. "She can take a look, but I'm not promising to abide by just anything."

"Fair enough."

He'd had it planned, Rumple realized, because Clara seemed to be waiting at the door. She smiled at him as she entered and he refused to watch her work. She was a clever girl, sharp and bright, but that was the only way she could have reached the position that she had in this kind of a kingdom. She spoke to distract, but sometimes it seemed like chatter that he had to tune out to keep from snapping at her when she poked and prodded in all the most painful spots.

"Determined to go home?" she asked as her skilled hands undid the bindings around his leg. "You'll need to drop the spell for me to properly see the damage."

He glared at her, but let it drop. Along with casting the healing spell that was slowly pulling the bones back into place and putting them back together he had cast one that was for the pain. It didn't do away with it entirely, but it glamoured over it so that he couldn't feel it completely and others wouldn't see the extent of the damage. To do away with the pain entirely would have been foolish and a good way to have caused permanent damage, but letting the suppressing spell go did bring a fresh wave that threatened to pull him under. Bae's hand squeezed his and he realized he didn't know when his son had taken it.

Rumplestiltskin focused on speaking through clenched teeth. "David is done with his bit and they're ready to leave. I won't be the one stopping us."

She made a small sound of acknowledgement and Rumple closed his eyes against the pain. "Well, I don't advise it, particularly, but as you're set on it I can't imagine there's much that would stop you. I'd suggest you use a walking stick until you can walk without pain."

"I can manage that much," he acknowledged.

Clara offered him a smile. "I met you once, when I was little, did you know that?"

Rumple blinked at her, trying to decide if she should have stood out in his mind or not.

"I'm not surprised you don't remember. Our village was caught up in the Ogre Wars - well, one of many, I suppose - and my father and elder brother had both been killed. They'd come into the village and one had just ripped the door off of our home like it was nothing. It was going after my little brother who was crying, but just before it got to him it just turned to dust. When the dust cleared you were there. You looked different then, but I know it was you. You saved us."

A tightness made its way into his chest and he barely waited for her to finish the wrapping on his ankle before sitting up, pulling a cane through magic into his hand to brace himself on as he stood. "I wouldn't say that, dear," he murmured as he risked a step forward, the cane and the spell that had fallen back into place working together to take his weight. "I was always paid rather well for ending those spats. If whoever called for my help hadn't been able to pay, I would have left you to rot."

Clara, to his surprised, laughed at him. "Perhaps, but life isn't made up of what-ifs, it's made up of things that happened. You did save us and you saved my family. I'm trying to say thank you."

"He doesn't take that very well," Bae offered to the side.

"I can tell." Her patient didn't meet the young healer's eyes as she shook her head. "Take care of yourself, Rumplestiltskin."

He waited until she was gone to fix a half hearted glare on his son. "You shouldn't encourage people to think I'm something I'm not."

Bae gave him a smile smile that tilted one direction rather than the other. "I didn't. You're more than you give yourself credit for, Papa."

Rumple felt a sudden rush of warmth from the words and he reached out, his son instantly taking his hand and Bae chuckled as his papa pulled him into a hug. The younger man wrapped an arm around his shoulders and held on. He couldn't have known what the words meant, not really, and Rumple tried to push back the emotions and found that he couldn't quite do it, so he just hung on for a few moments more, father and son in a tight embrace. "Thank you, Bae," he managed, voice rough.

"Anytime, Papa. Just here to remind you." He flashed his father a smile and motioned to the door. "So are we leaving or what?"

A laugh bubbled in the sorcerer's throat and he tightened his grip on the cane that looked much like the one he'd carried in Storybrooke. "Let's go home."

* * *

While Belle seemed to grow more anxious with each day that passed, Regina remained surprisingly calm. Quick notes in Rumplestiltskin's hand had appeared not long after they arrived back at the Dark Castle. She wasn't sure what Belle's said, but she had received one that had merely said _Delayed. Henry is well. _in small, neat writing in her personal chambers that she'd chosen for herself. The parchment felt faintly of Rumple's magic from the delivery method and for some reason that was still lost to her, she believed him. Her son was safe, likely having the time of his life out playing prince - though he wasn't quite playing any longer - and he'd be back shortly. She could handle that.

Maleficent had made herself at home at the Dark Castle almost immediately upon arrival. She had poked around nooks and crannies until she'd suddenly become bored - or found what she was looking for, Regina couldn't be sure - and had decided to make it her new life goal to figure Belle out. That had been on the second day, though, and just because Maleficent was her friend didn't mean that she was her responsibility.

That was until Robin found her in the library late one afternoon, looking around like he was worried he was being followed. Regina quirked an eyebrow at him and watched him carefully, not entirely sure if he was looking for her or just a place to hide. "Hide and seek with Roland?" she asked after a moment.

Robin startled. "No. Sadly." He looked around again, and when he found no one beyond Regina he let out a sigh.

A knowing smile crossed her lips. She'd seen that look before. "Hide and seek from Maleficent."

"That's the one," the archer acknowledged. "Would you mind terribly?"

"By all means," Regina answered, shifting so that her feet were no longer resting up on the couch. She watched the blond carefully as he loosed another long breath, this time allowing the strain of whatever he was hiding from roll off with it. The Evil queen closed her book on magical theory and her lips pulled into a guarded smile. "I have to ask…"

"Your friend - the sorceress - has taken quite a fancy to me."

A small laugh stirred deep in her throat, but she bit it off, the smile growing a bit despite that. "She has a habit of doing that from time to time."

"I don't think that it helped that I broke into her castle once."

"Fortress," Regina corrected automatically.

"Yes, she did say it was." He turned, his blue eyes sharp. "I'm afraid I don't know how to politely decline in a way that she will understand."

"Leave off the polite part and you'll do just fine," Regina said, the laugh making it a little further up her throat this time. "What's the matter? Not your type?"

"I'm afraid she's not," he answered slowly, rolling the sleeves of his jacket up in a nervous sort of fashion. He looked like a boy that was entirely lost. Surely this wasn't his first encounter with a woman that he wasn't interested in. He was handsome, in a rugged sort of way that Regina was most certainly _not_ interested in, but plenty of women liked that sort of thing. Maleficent was obviously one of them, though her taste tended to vary from moment to moment. There was one constant, from what the queen had been able to gather, and it was that her friend prefered the chase rather than the prize.

"Pretending that she is might get her to go away faster."

"That seems rather ill-advised."

"It may be the only way you break her interest," Regina finally laughed and it brought a surprising smile from him.

"You have a very pleasant laugh, Regina."

The laugh ceased immediately and she felt her usual indifferent mask fall firmly into place. She didn't have to command it there anymore. Muscle memory did wonders.

"I'm sorry… It was meant as a compliment," Robin murmured as if he were trying to think of a reason it would be taken otherwise. "Has no one ever told you that before?"

"Not in a very long time," Regina answered stiffly and memories better left in the past began to surface. She stood, starting for the door. "I'll make sure Maleficent doesn't come this way looking for you."

Robin reached out and his hand closed around her wrist, stopping her. She turned back, ready to rip into him about the propriety of a common thief laying a hand on a queen in such a way, allies or not, but the words never made it past her lips. She stopped, eyes fixated on the tattoo on his forearm.

"I've said something to offend you, my lady," he was saying and there wasn't a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Please let me make amends."

He released her then and Regina couldn't stop her whirling mind long enough to put together words, muchless command her tongue to form them into something he could understand. She just watched him as he moved over to a decanter on the far table of the room and grabbed for the two glasses there. "I've found," he said as he brought them back, "that this castle tends to place things exactly where you need them exactly when you need them, though I do believe it chooses who it likes. Is that possible?"

"Knowing Rumple, yes," Regina managed automatically. Her dark eyes were still watching his arm carefully, and she wasn't sure when she'd sat back down, but she was most certainly sitting when he handed her the glass. She took it numbly and he held his up, the two clinking together and he offered her a smile that she couldn't explain.

He smiled. "Apparently it likes us well enough." He raised his glass to her and took a sip, expression evening out. "I apologize if I misread the situation, Regina," he said after a moment. He was still standing, moved just a step away from her, but giving her room as he spoke. "I know that our time spent together is often for the sake of our sons, but I thought, perhaps, it was something more as well."

_You didn't just ruin your life. You ruined his._

Tinker Bell's words bounced around her mind, and by the way the pressure felt like it was building there she thought they might have been ricocheting against her skull. She couldn't find the words - to confirm his suspicions or utterly deny them - and so she sat there, glass held in her hands and eyes fixed on him.

"I see I was mistaken," he murmured awkwardly, taking a long swallow of his drink.

"You weren't," she whispered, never giving herself permission to. What was she saying? He might be Maleficent's type - smitten with another was _definitely_ Maleficent's type - but this rogue was most certainly _not_ hers. He was rugged and rough, just as at home sleeping on the ground as in a bed, and up until they'd returned and he'd offered to help he had been a thief for a living. A thief. What sort of queen falls for a thief?

"I wasn't?" he echoed, unsure in the silence that followed.

"I…" But he was also kind and brave and when he looked at her there was a sort of teasing there, but no judgement over the things she'd done. She could ruin this. She would very likely ruin this. She'd already done it once, after all, and that only heightened the odds that she would do it again. Everything she touched turned to ash or turned away, with the exception of Henry. "I'm not very good at this," she murmured at last.

Then he smiled. "Neither am I. Perhaps we can wade through these rather troubled waters together?"

She should tell him no, but even as she gave herself that order she was nodding and smiling. Regina had once asked Tink what she would be without the anger that helped to weigh her down, that kept her from floating away. Tinker Bell had told her she would be happy, and in that moment as Robin reached forward and took one of hands, pressing a kiss to the back of it, she thought that the fairy might have just been right.

* * *

_Delayed. I'll explain when I get home._ That was all the letter had said. It had been waiting for her on the pillow of their bed and she could have killed him in that moment. Belle wasn't prone to violent outbursts, but that man, as much as she loved him, could be absolutely infuriating at times. When he gave her the vaguest answers was when she should be the most worried. He had caught on that _she'd_ caught on to that yet. Infuriating.

Then there'd been Maleficent. She'd thought Rumple and the others would be right behind them in coming home, dealing with the eccentric sorceress so that Belle didn't have to. He could have warned her what she was getting herself into. She would have still gone, of course, but she would have had liked to have had just a little warning. Perhaps of what had gone on between them as well, because with the way the woman went on and on about him, it was obvious they had a past of… Well of some wasn't sure she really wanted to know, but Rumple should have told her. Not that he would have volunteered any information that she didn't actively seek after. Yes. He was most certainly infuriating, she decided with a huff.

Belle had become strangely accustomed to reading the wards in the Dark Castle. When Rumple wasn't there, they defaulted to her, and a slight change in the pressure of the room caught her attention and she moved to the large double doors that opened up to the balcony. She'd had trouble opening the doors the first time she'd tried, and an old familiar quip about nailing things down in the castle had passed between them. The doors weren't nailed now and she pushed them open, moving towards the railing on the balcony and the gates were opening below. Through them came familiar faces and she barely registered that she was turning before she was running down the stairs. "They're home!" she announced to anyone that cared to hear and a few heads poked out of various rooms. All irritation washed away and she was just happy that he was home and safe and whole….

She came to a complete stop halfway down the front stairs. Snow nearly toppled into her in her haste to run for David, Aurora right behind her and heading straight for Philip. Emma offered a small smile as she passed, nearly pulling Henry off his feet when she met him and pressing a kiss to his hair before speaking with Bae, her expression almost shy, which might have caught Belle's attention if not for the cane that Rumplestiltskin was leaning so heavily on.

Her love looked worn and tired, that old limp back and he winced with every step he took. He'd made it halfway through the courtyard before Baelfire moved to his side, Emma close behind him, and tried to offer him help only to be waved off by curt gestures and a snapped word. Belle ghosted down to meet him, feeling an ache spread through her chest. "Rumple, what happened?"

He turned to her, his dark eyes softening and he tried for a smile. "It's nothing, dear."

"It doesn't look like nothing," she argued and the smile faded entirely into a frown.

"Do you need the whole story before you'll let me in or can it wait until we're inside?"

Belle stiffened at the words and he must have seen it. There was an expression that Rumplestiltskin wore when he knew he'd said something wrong to her, something that he should have known better than to say, and he wore that now in the way his lips thinned out and his brows drew together. He reached his free hand to her and she took it instantly. "I'm sorry, my dear," he offered in a rough voice. "I'm very tired and should probably get some rest. I didn't mean to snap at you."

She smiled tightly, her gaze drifting back to Bae. "Of course," she murmured, knowing she could get the story from him. Right now her mission was to get him upstairs and get him to bed before he collapsed in a heap on the floor of his home.

"Rumplestiltskin. My, what _have_ you done to yourself?"

Rumple looked up, but Belle knew the voice. It had followed her around the castle for days without end. Maleficent was smiling toothily as she strode forward, her loose garments floating around her in a wind that just wasn't there before she arrived.

"Maleficent, what are you doing in my home?" Rumple demanded.

A few yards away Aurora buried herself in Philip's embrace and the prince glared furiously at the visiting sorceress. She, in turn, continued smiling, but her gaze only flickered to them briefly before returning to to the owner of the castle she'd made herself at home at the last few days.

"Your little pet let me in," the blonde answered silkily, glancing over to Belle.

Before Belle could offer her reasoning, Rumplestiltskin's expression darkened. "She's not my pet, dearie," he growled, his temper setting up on the edge and ready to be pushed at even the smallest of provocation.

Maleficent chuckled, even as Belle reached a steadying hand out to him. "Look at you. Humanity is an interesting look on you, I must say, though time will tell if it's a good one or not."

"Your point?"

"Short tempered today, are we, Rumple?"

"Very, so I'd suggest unless you want me to release all the guards set up over the years on you that you get to your point and quickly."

Maleficent covered the remaining space between them in a flash, but Rumplestiltskin didn't budge. In fact, he didn't even flinch as she leaned in close, her heels making putting her at several inches taller than him. She was bent so that she was looking directly into his eyes, that smile never fading as she studied him closely. He met her gaze without blinking, and Belle could almost feel the shift around them as those dark eyes turned cold. "I do seem to remember owing you a favour from quite a while back. Care to use it here?"

Rumple's smile was thin, but not quite strained. "Depends how useful you're willing to be. I'm not willing to have my time wasted."

The two magic users watched each other, a silent power struggle between them. "Good to see not too much has changed," Maleficent said slowly. "I wouldn't _dream_ of wasting your time."

"Good. Then let's get that favour off the books, shall we? I'll fill you in tomorrow with the rest."

Belle still had a hand on his arm as they moved in, slowly and painfully from the way every muscle in his body seemed to be tensed, and she heard Bae call after her that he'd be right up.

Rumplestiltskin didn't speak as his magic had gathered them up and redistributed them in their room, but he did almost melt into her arms as Belle wrapped them around his middle and pulled him into an embrace. They stood like that for a long moment, her cheek rested against his chest and he kissed the top if her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

She'd forgotten that she'd been angry the moment she saw him. "What happened, Rumple?"

"We were sabotaged."

"Thomas' father?"

"No, George."

Belle made a face. "David's brother's father?"

"One in the same," he answered tiredly and released her to take a seat on the bed. His movements were slow and stiff, leading Belle to believe that it had been several days since whatever had happened had happened. He eased himself down and stretched out.

"Are those all the details you're going to give me?" she asked after he went silent for several moments and he smiled.

"I'm sorry, my dear. A roof came crashing in on us. I caught to bad end of it."

"Was there a good end?"

He snorted a laugh. "Fair point."

She smiled, realizing that he wasn't being forthcoming out of secrecy, but out of exhaustion. She leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I love you," she whispered softly, receiving only the smallest of responses from her already sleeping fiancé. "Welcome home."

* * *

He knew his surroundings well, but it didn't mean he had to like it. His visions had been coming this way in part - at least when he slept - with the seer acting as his less than helpful guide. These sorts of visions nullified any rest he might have as he slept, and often left Rumplestiltskin feeling more drained than he had been when he fell asleep. He'd managed to filter out the visions for the most part because of that. Once he'd fully gotten his barriers into place it had been fairly easy. Now, though, his exhaustion provided the crack it needed to seep through.

"You are denying fate it's price," the seer said, her tone bland.

Rumplestiltskin snorted. "If fate is fate, it cannot be changed. Sacrifice doesn't mean my son has to die."

She frowned at him. "You really have learned nothing, have you?"

"I've learned not to be a victim of my circumstances," he snapped. "I won't let him go."

"And yet you aren't willing to die for him."

"That can't be the only loophole."

"Not everything has a loophole, Rumplestiltskin."

He smiled at her, the expression anything but friendly. "Everything has a loophole in it, you just have to be willing to look. He survived the attack a few days ago, didn't he?"

"You cannot protect him forever."

"Oh-ho. That's where you're wrong, dearie. I can and I _will_ protect him."

"But you have not changed anything."

Images, scattered and painful and none of them fitting together just right, flittered across his mind's eye and the sorcerer frowned. "I'm wondering if you're a vision at all," he mused softly. "Perhaps you're just my fears working into my dreams. You're just the shape they take."

"Believe what you will. It _will_ come to pass."

He straightened, eyes fixed on her. "I won't let him go this time."

She offered him a sad sort of smile. "We shall see."

* * *

TBC

Notes: I can't believe I got this chapter up today. I was worried it wouldn't make it. I've been rather waylaid by X-Men First Class (which I finally saw) and the new Days of Future Past that I managed to go see just after buying First Class. I'm a little in love with the bromance of that series and a short that I've been wiring on kind of took over my life the last couple, three days. Thankfully, I was able to write enough on this one today to feel confident to post this.

Next time - Baelfire learns the true story about how his father first broke his ankle, Snow decides it's time to leave the Dark Castle, and Henry tells his father about his ability to use magic.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

He was under no false impressions that Emma had come barreling out to see him. The woman he loved had nearly hauled their son off his feet, arms wrapped tightly around him and kissing his head. Henry had returned the embrace with more enthusiasm than most teenagers did when their parents smothered them in love and Bae couldn't help but smile. They had a remarkable kid.

Emma finally stepped back when Regina met them in the foyer and she shot him an interesting look. "Quite an adventure."

He chuckled. Most of them had missed the heavy beating that his father had taken in the blast, but none of them had come out completely unscathed. He had a nice line of bruising along his right cheekbone, barely missing a black eye from it, and a knot that had finally gone down some on the back of his head. The others had various visible and not-so-visible injuries, but Emma would have known something was up even if Henry said nothing about it. "You have no idea. What about you? Were you about bored out of your mind while we were gone?" Bae teased.

"Actually, Regina, Belle, and I recruited the sorceress that was just harassing your dad on the way in."

"Maleficent?"

"Did you know her?"

"Well, I've seen the movie," Bae smirked, his hands going to his head as he spoke. "She's missing the hornes."

"She's not when she's full sized."

"Hell," he chuckled, glancing towards the staircase that led to the room his father had disappeared into at first chance. "Well that's going to keep me up at night."

"I think we're okay on that. Unless she decides you're her type, but she seems fixated on Robin lately."

Bae grinned and ran a hand through his hair, glancing past Emma to where Henry was telling Regina a story in wild motions.

"So what happened? Your dad looks like he caught the worst of it, but you're all a little banged up."

"Huh? Oh. We might have run into some trouble where Zelena attacked us and the roof caved in. Don't worry, Pop got Henry out of there."

"The… what?" Emma managed, and he didn't have any warning before she slapped him hard on the arm. "Seriously? What's with you people? Do you give off some sort of signal that attracts danger or something?"

Bae rubbed at the spot on his arm. "Maybe?"

"Are you okay?"

"Well, I was… Until you decided to try to break my arm."

Emma rolled her eyes and hit him again when a small smile started to break through the feigned hurt. "You big baby."

"Nah. I'm good. Henry's good. Papa… will be."

"Not sure we'll know the difference in him locking himself away in his room."

"He's never really been the social sort. Listen, I should probably-"

"Yeah, of course," she answered immediately and he caught the look. It was quick and it was guarded almost immediately, but he knew he'd seen it. It brought a smile to his face and she glared at him again. "Get going. Don't make Belle do all the work with him."

"He can be a lot of work," Bae agreed. "I'll be down for dinner."

There was that look again. "Counting on it."

If she hadn't turned, Bae might not have been able to convince himself to start for the stairs. She did though, so he did, and started up. His dark eyes followed the staircase up the floors and he let out a long sigh. It had been a hellishly long few days and he really wished someone would come up with elevators for these sorts of places. He didn't have magic to teleport him to the top like his dad did.

As if on cue, a door seemed to appear out of nowhere - and likely it did - and Bae shot it a distrustful look. The castle had a personality, he was certain, and sometimes it seemed rather fond of him, shortening distances between places, delivering Emma directly into his path, and that sort of thing. That was on a good day. On the days other than good days, Bae had found himself down in the dungeons, sometimes in the work tower, and often in halls that hadn't seen a single soul since they'd been constructed.

_I could build you a palace so magnificent that its shadow would blanket the countryside._

That had been the offer his father had made to him once when he'd still been a teenage boy. All he'd wanted was to see the world - or perhaps just two doors down would have been nice - and to have his papa back. He wondered, as he pushed the door open and stepped through, what had been going through Rumplestiltskin's mind when he built the place. Had be been lonely or just bored? Had _this_ been the castle he had promised to build him if he wanted it? The idea was silly, Baelfire knew, but it was also just a little bit endearing. His papa had always had trouble expressing emotions like normal people did. He felt like he had to make grand gestures to _prove_ his love, when really Bae knew it all along. Well, perhaps not _all_ along, but for the days before the curse and the days since Neverland. He knew, Belle knew, and Henry knew. Really, he was sure that's all that mattered to him.

The castle emptied him out in the hall that both Rumplestiltskin's and his own rooms were located on. Apparently this was a good day.

He started for the door just as it opened, Belle slipping out in a quiet fashion and she turned blue eyes on him, a smile tugging into place. She looked tired and he was sure that his papa hadn't alleviated her worries as much as she probably needed him to. Bae offered her a crooked smile of her own. "Let me guess, he crashed out and didn't bother to tell you a thing?"

"You know your father well. He did manage to tell me that the roof came crashing in on all of you. Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah. I'm good. Of course _that'd_ be the thing he'd mention before passing out."

Belle gave a short, humourless laugh and they took a seat on the top step of the staircase. "So what happened?"

"Zelena attacked, we got suckered into drinking a potion that had it chasing most of us, Papa saved us and the roof collapsed. He got caught under the wreckage and it tore his ankle up pretty bad. Same one as before."

His dad's girlfriend looked a bit sick at that. "I should make sure that he gets that boot off and gets it propped up…"

"If it bothers him, he'll just use his magic to get rid of it. It'll be easier that way."

Her shoulders sagged and Bae could see the helpless sort of look that flickered through her eyes. She wanted to be doing something. Belle was a fixer and when someone was hurting and she couldn't fix them, she felt as if she'd somehow failed them. "Hey," he murmured, "has Pop ever told you how he busted his ankle the first time?"

"He did tell me that story. It took some time to coax it out of him, but we finally got around to it."

"Could you tell me?"

Belle stopped, blinking at him. "You don't know it?"

Bae shrugged. "He'd never say. He had the limp as long as I can remember and I finally got him to say that it happened during the Ogre War he fought in, but he wouldn't go into detail. Anything else I heard was strictly rumour."

"What did you hear?" Belle asked slowly.

He pressed his lips together to stretch back in his memories. It had been so long ago. "Nothing was ever directed at me, just around me growing up. My mom, from what I remember of her, spent a lot of time down at the bar. When we'd go get her the men that she'd be drinking with would say things about Papa." He stopped leaning his head back against the wall behind him and tried to shift through centuries' old memories. He hadn't thought on those particular years in a long time. "I was just a kid. I don't remember them all and I didn't get much of it at the time, but they thought he was a coward. Mom used to say that he did it to himself, whenever his ankle would start acting up."

Belle pulled in a long breath and her sharp eyes were focused on a point behind him as she sorted through the words before speaking them. "He would never tell you this. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but…" She sighed again, closing her eyes this time. "Your father has a terrible habit of underestimating himself. I know that you know that, but you're one of the few that probably does. I know… I know that he spent three hundred years regretting his moment of weakness and that sometimes a mistake will taint his other memories. Ones that proved just how much he loves you."

"I'm not following," Bae managed. "I don't think I was even born when he broke it."

She smiled at him, sad and distant. "Rumple told me that a seer predicted his death. Well, she predicted what he thought was going to be his death. She said that you would be born and that his actions would leave you fatherless."

"That's why he's so stuck on prophecies. Has he told you what he Saw? Why he shoved me down in the basement a few weeks ago?"

"Yes." Belle nodded slowly, lips pursed together as she thought. "Bae, he loves you. He found a way home for you."

The words sunk in after a moment and the truth that Bae had never really been willing to look at in the face sprang up from it. It was true. His mother had always said he'd done it to himself. She'd called him a coward and a deserter when she thought Bae had been asleep or when she'd had too many ales to remember that her little boy was listening. He'd just stood there and took it from her. From everyone. The whispers had never stopped and more than once Bae had watched as he stood quietly back when a merchant at Longbourne let him have it over the fact that her son had died in that same war. He'd never said a word against their accusations, neither confirming or denying it. It was hard to think back on now with the way his father held himself with such pride, but then he'd only looked down and accepted his shame. For him. All for him. "Are you saying he broke his own leg to come home to me?"

"Yes. He wanted to make sure that you didn't grow up like he did."

Bae nodded his understanding, barely able to catch his breath. "I.. um… I'm going to go sit with him for a bit, if you don't mind."

Belle smiled, reaching out to cover his hand with her smaller one. "He loves you," she repeated.

"I know, and I love him."

He watched her go, taking the steps down in her graceful way and leaving him alone on the top where he still sat. Her footsteps had faded by the time he finally rallied himself to stand and move towards his papa's door. Blood magic allowed it to click open softly and he stepped in. Rumplestiltskin was laid out on the bed, wrappings around his ankle peeking out from beneath his pants and his boots were in the corner, likely magicked away to keep from tugging on the injury. He looked so peaceful there, like on the rare occasions that Bae would wake before he would when he was a boy. His papa had worked his fingers raw to take care of him and would have given him the world if he could have.

_How about a castle?_

Bae snorted softly and thought of grand gestures. You didn't get much grander than shattering your leg to make sure your son didn't grow up without a father.

He moved around the bed, sitting as gently as he could on the empty side and his papa stirred a little, grimacing as he did. Dark eyes blinked open and a smile immediately touched his lips. "Bae."

"Hey there. How're you feeling?"

"A bit worn, but it'll pass."

"Yeah."

His gaze didn't appear nearly as sharp as it usually did, but Rumplestiltskin studied him carefully, brows pulling together in worry. "What's wrong, Bae?"

The younger man blinked and the words caught in his throat. "Nothing," he said tightly. "Everything's great. I just… needed to check on you."

His father chuckled, reaching a hand up in a gesture that had quickly become theirs. Bae caught it and squeezed his fingers tightly. "I'm alright, Bae," he promised.

"I know, Papa. You mind if I stay?"

The smile returned and he settled back in. "I'd like nothing better."

* * *

The longer he kept it to himself, the more it felt like lying. The more it felt like lying, the more it ate at him, and that, in turn, reminded him of all the things that could go wrong if he told them. It was a vicious cycle, and while he thought that discussing it with Grandpa Gold again might be the best option, his dad had been with him regularly since they'd come back to the castle, and really he'd just say the same thing he'd said since it happened. Henry needed to tell Neal and his moms. His grandpa had assured him that it was _his_ responsibility and that he wouldn't speak to Neal on it until Henry had. Of course, he'd said all of that not long after it happened and had expected his grandson to get on that. That had been over a week ago now.

"We did it, Henry!"

Henry turned at the small chirp of a voice that had come from behind. Roland stood grinning. "They didn't see me. I was sneaky like you taught me!"

"What happened?" Henry asked, trying to force his mind back to the present. It wasn't like it had happened again after all. Maybe Grandpa Gold would just forget and everything could stay the way it was.

"My papa kissed your mama!"

That brought Henry fully into the conversation. "What? When?"

"Right now!"

Henry took off in a flash, Roland behind him and the two boys went tearing through the Dark Castle. They'd been back for nearly a full day now and between Regina and Emma - and Maleficent, who seemed to have taken a shine to him - he'd barely gotten a breath since he'd come home. He wasn't even sure when this could have started, unless it just had. They'd only been gone a week or so.

"Look," Roland hissed and pulled Henry by the sleeve.

Regina and Robin weren't kissing anymore, but they were standing awful close. Henry felt a grin take over as he watched them and he knew his childhood hero had somehow worked his way around his mom's walls. She was smiling at him, a little shy and a little afraid, and as he lifted a hand up to brush a stray bit of hair back, Henry saw it. "The lion tattoo," he whispered.

Roland looked over, confused, but Henry waves him off. Robin Hood was his mom's True Love and she'd been brave enough to take that step. After so many years of holding onto Daniel, she could finally be happy.

If she could be brave enough to step out and trust someone with her heart, Henry was certain he could be brave enough to tell his dad about the magic.

"Where're you going?" Roland asked as the elder boy slipped out of their hidaway.

"I have to talk to my dad. Good job, Roland."

The little boy grinned brightly and Henry turned to look for his father.

* * *

The week that they'd spent at Thomas' castle had felt longer. David supposed that that's what happened when one went from long, terrible meetings with a man that hated you, to being terribly betrayed, nearly dying, and then back to the meetings. He hadn't come away with quite the injuries as Rumplestiltskin had, being right at the center on the blast, but he hadn't gotten entirely away from the falling debris either. He hadn't noticed the gash in his arm until Thomas had pointed it out and it had gotten wrapped up fairly quickly. The adrenaline rush kept him from paying too much attention to it, but as it gradually wore off while speaking to his friend and his father about the betrayal that the king had allowed under his roof - David liked to think he was a fair man, but there were points that needed to be made in that conversation and he hadn't budged an inch on it - he'd thought the other aches were simply from the jolt. It hadn't been until the next morning that he'd noticed the deep bruising setting in along the right side of his ribcage. He'd had it checked and the healers had given him a tea to drink for the pain - which he'd avoided once he realized how much it dulled everything else as well - and had told him to take it easy. Thankfully, there had been no long ride back to the Dark Castle to jar his bruised ribs.

"You know Doc can give you something for the pain now that you're back," Snow said from behind. She carefully wrapped her arms around his middle, linking her fingers loosely and pressing her cheek against his back. Her presence was comforting, something that he always missed when they were apart, and it did seem like that was far too often for either of their tastes.

David turned in her embrace, pressing a kiss to her forehead and wrapping his arms around her. She squeezed a little too hard, but he didn't care. They were there in that moment and that's really what it came down to. "There's still a lot to do," he murmured into her dark hair. "Thomas is on our side and Philip, but it'll still be a war. Rumplestiltskin will need to be back on his feet before we can move forward."

"Do you you trust him?"

The blond prince thought about that for a moment and finally loosed a breath through his nose. "Yes, I think so. He could have left us all to get hit by that surge of power Zelena sent, but he didn't. He did everything he could to protect us."

"Do you think he'll help us take back our home?"

"Snow, I don't think anyone's too worried about holding our castle. It's in ruins right?"

"No," she murmured and turned her determined gaze up to him, but she knew that he knew exactly what she was talking about. This was not the first time she'd brought it up. "My parents' castle. Regina's castle. We should take it back. We can raise our baby there, just like I was raised there."

David grimaced as he thought of a conversation he'd had with a fairly lucid Rumplestiltskin not long after Henry was attacked. Zelena had been after him specifically, not just swiping at anyone she could hurt. She'd told him, the boy himself had confessed, that she thought she could use him rather than Snow White's baby. Rumplestiltskin was certain that the child - and Henry - were the final ingredient of innocence needed for a complicated spell that was meant to defy the laws of magic. He was still trying to find a way to broach the subject with Snow without sending her into full on protective mode of both their unborn child and their grandson.

"Snow, attacking the castle that Zelena and Pan have made their stronghold isn't something we could even look at until we knew we had Thomas' support. We'd have to have just the right set of circumstances to march in there even now though."

"I think we have to try. Otherwise, what are we doing? We're just hiding away in Rumplestiltskin's castle. Family or not, he's going to get tired of us sooner or later and rightfully so. We need to have a home, David. We need to help our people, and we can't do that from here."

David nodded. She had a point. "I'll speak to Philip and Thomas," he promised. "If we have a plan set up by the time that Gold is back to his usual self, he should be willing to lend us a hand."

Snow smiled and kissed him. "We'll be home before you know it."

* * *

The first place that Henry looked for his dad was with his grandpa. He'd been in there regularly since they'd come back and he was certain he'd find him there before he managed to talk himself out of it. The door opened for him with a simple touch and Henry could _feel_ the magic working. It was strange, not the same warmth, particularly, that had rushed through him when the magic had lept out at Zelena, but it was still familiar. The magic was tinged with darkness, but it didn't hurt, instead it brought images to his mind and he could almost imagine he were about to step into Mr Gold's pawn shop if he closed his eyes. The feeling, the smell, every part of it. It felt like Grandpa Gold. He needed to remember to ask him if all magic was that unique, or if it was just because his grandpa's was so strong.

Rumplestiltskin was sitting up on his bed, right leg propped up and a book in hand. He looked up immediately, probably sensing Henry's entrance before seeing him, but a fond sort of smile crossed his features when he spotted him. It was the kind that Henry was very sure he reserved for only a very select handful of people and he was more than happy to have made it onto the list. "Hello, Henry," he greeted and laid the book aside. "What can I do for you?"

Henry grinned, taking the invitation and stepping all the way in. "How're you feeling?"

"Oh, better. It'll take some time yet."

"I still don't get why you couldn't have just healed it instantly. I mean.. you could have, right?"

"I'm capable of doing it, yes, but it wouldn't have healed correctly. There would have been more complications than it's worth. The bones were broken in several places," he said, hands dancing as he explained, "and while magic can do much, the body itself does have limitations. The price for a quick fix of a broken bone is a badly mended one. I'd likely be back on the cane for the rest of my days with that, and while limping around Storybrooke wasn't too bad, the Enchanted Forest is something else entirely. Saying that, though, it won't take nearly as long to heal with the spells I have working on it as it would had I simply let it heal naturally."

Henry nodded, soaking the information in. Grandpa Gold had told Neal that he wouldn't teach him without his permission, and while he seemed inclined to want to teach him after the event at Thomas' castle, he'd been very clear that Henry needed to bring it up to his father first.

"Speaking of magic," Rumplestiltskin said in a voice that told Henry what was coming before the words ever left his mouth. He was looking at him with one quirked eyebrow and an expectant expression firmly in place. "Being that your papa hasn't come barging in demanding answers yet, I'd wager you haven't spoken to him about it."

"I was on my way to do that now."

"Mm-hmm."

"Really! I thought he'd be in here with you!"

His grandpa gave him a look that said he didn't entirely believe him on that. "I think he went down to the kitchens, if you're looking for him."

"You haven't mentioned anything right?"

"I said I wouldn't, and I haven't."

"You really don't think he'll be angry?"

A small, short laugh left the elder man. "Being on the receiving end of your father's anger and irritation over the years, I'd still advise you to be truthful to him above all. If he finds out - and if you continue to delay, he _will_ find out - without your being the one he hears it from… Well, _then_ he might be angry."

Henry nodded. "Okay. Wish me luck."

Grandpa Gold reached out to him, hand coming up to the side of his face in an affectionate gesture. "All the luck in the world, but you won't need it, lad. Your father loves you very dearly."

He felt a little better, he had to admit, so his steps down the stairs weren't too slow, nor did he have to push himself too hard once he found his dad rummaging for something that would work for dinner. He'd barely managed a greeting before the story started tumbling out. It felt good and his hands flew in animated gestures - hardly watching his father's expression - as he described the way Zelena had barged in and the fear he'd felt for his family and his desperation to get to them to help after the tower had fallen in on them. He hadn't known he could put into words how those feelings had risen up inside of him, obeying commands he didn't even know that he'd given, and Zelena had been forced back by it. "Grandpa Gold said it was light magic. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.I thought you'd be mad," he finally finished, letting the words ride out on a breath. When Neal didn't respond instantly he looked up to him. "You're not, right?"

His dad was staring at him, plate of half collected dinner in his hand and looking like he'd just been tossed through a looking glass into Wonderland. He didn't look like he'd slept much, Henry thought as he watched for any change in the horribly blank expression, and there were dark circles under his eyes to prove it. Finally, with what appeared to be a great deal of effort, he swallowed and offered a very strained smile as he put his plate down. "'course not. I'm just glad you're okay, buddy," he said. He reached out and gathered his son into his arms, holding on tight and Henry returned the hug.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," he said too quick.

Grandpa Gold had been right. He should have told him sooner. "I'm sorry, Dad…"

"Don't worry about it. We'll… we'll figure it out." Neal released him and Henry didn't like the confused and worried sort of look he hid right behind his eyes. "Love you, buddy."

"Love you too, Dad."

"Listen… I have to go take dinner up to your grandpa. We'll talk about it some more later okay?"

Even as Henry agreed all of the relief washed right out of him and even though it had been his grandfather that had encouraged him into this, his words from months before were the ones that made it to the forefront of his thoughts.

_I have the benefit of a little more... life experience. I know that things don't always happen the way we want them to._

Henry watched his dad pick up the plate and watched him until he was gone and down the hall, adding to his own life experience bucket that certainly wasn't turning out the way he thought it would.

* * *

TBC

Notes:

Next time - Rumple, Bae, and Henry have a conversation about magic, Blue tries to undermine Rumplestiltskin, and Hook finds himself in trouble.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen. **

Rumplestiltskin had expected his son to be delayed once he knew his grandson's plans. He'd done his best to stay out of it. He was no stranger to secrets and lies, but something he'd learned since reuniting with Bae was that their relationship did not have room for that. After everything Baelfire had been through he needed the truth from those that he held close or he'd cease to trust them. If he no longer trusted them, he wouldn't have any reason to hold them close, and while he knew that Bae would never purposefully or consciously push Henry away, fear is a powerful enemy and it could very easily put unneaded strain on them.

That was why he startled when his bedroom door opened not too long after Henry had left and instead of his grandson coming in for a second-round peptalk, Bae came barreling in. If he meant to set the plate he was carrying down on a table to the side, he did a poor job of it, and it went sliding, spilling bits of its contents and he turned his aim on his father. "Did you know?" he demanded, voice sounding less angry than it did terrified.

The former Dark One shifted in his place. He'd been in bed more than he hadn't since coming back from Thomas' castle the day before. His ankle made it difficult to move and with the way Belle had fussed every time he tried to rise he thought it was just better in the end. The way Bae was coming at him, though, he really did wish he had a better route of escape. Perhaps a quicker one too. He could feel the walls of a question that he didn't really want to answer closing in fast.

"Did you know about Henry, Papa? Have you been teaching him? You _promised-_"

That finally sparked a bit of fight in him. "I did promise you, Bae, and you shouldn't have to ask if I've been teaching him or not because of that. You already know."

His son bristled at the statement, his expression tight. "How long have you known?"

"Since the morning after it happened. He came to me for advice."

"What did you tell him?"

"That he'd be fine," Rumplestiltskin huffed. "And that he shouldn't be afraid to tell you."

Bae sighed and sat heavily on the edge of the bed. Rumple watched him carefully and finally reached a hand out to his shoulder. "What happened, son?"

"He told me."

"Did you talk about it?"

"I told him we would later." He held up his hands defensively. "I didn't know what to say, Pop."

"You just talk to him. You listen to what he says and you tell him what you're thinking. You _talk_, Bae, like you and I are doing now."

"He's twelve."

"He's clever. If you say nothing, he'll know something's wrong. You would have at that age."

"I always knew when you weren't telling me everything," Bae admitted softly.

"See?"

Baelfire turned towards him and he looked utterly miserable. "What am I supposed to say? It's not… It's not like I'd ever want him to get hurt. I'd do anything to keep him safe, but the idea of him using magic freaks the hell out of me, Papa."

Rumple sighed and shifted. "I know, Bae," he said softly. What else could he say? He couldn't tell him not to be afraid. Being a parent _was_ frightening. For normal people there were dangers around every corner. A car accident in the Land Without Magic or an out of control cart there in the Enchanted Forest. One moment they're playing and the next they're lying injured in the street. He knew. He'd had those visions since the moment he laid eyes on Bae and he didn't need his Sight for them to come. He couldn't tell his son that this was normal. It was rare, in fact, to have any child show that level of power so abruptly, but Henry was the product of True Love that reached back two generations. He _was_ a rarity.

"I just don't want him to get hurt, Papa. What if… I don't know."

"Sure you do," his father murmured. "What if he turns out like I did when I gained my powers? That's what you're thinking, isn't it?" He waited a moment and the look on Bae's face affirmed what he already knew and he offered him a tired smile. "Henry is not me. These are _his_ powers, born of _his_ soul, not some demon clawing to get in and control."

"But why? I mean, I get Emma. She's the child of True Love and all of that-"

"So is Henry."

"What?"

Well _that_ was something the boy had left out. Rumplestiltskin blinked, knowing that he was wading into dangerous territory, but facts were facts, even if people didn't always know how to read them. Some True Love couples were easy to spot, but others were quiet and understated. Even others fought it when they'd been hurt too often. He had long ago and he knew Emma had a tendency to fight anything that crossed her path. "Henry is the product of True Love twice over. He's directly affected by yours and Emma's, and then again by Snow White and her charming prince. It's not surprising that it came about in such a way. Magic is emotion. Though, from what he told me, even though it did damage to her, it was pure light magic."

Silence filled the air between them for a long stretch and Rumplestiltskin forced himself to relax. It was a lot to soak in and while he knew that Henry was likely upset at some other part of the castle, feeling as if he'd said the wrong thing at the wrong time, Bae would do him no good trying to mend that until he was ready to do so correctly. Much like his ankle, the quick fix was not always the best in the long term. Those were life lessons he was _still_ learning.

"_Can_ you teach him?" Bae asked hesitantly. "Since it's light magic, I mean. Do you know how or would he have to be taught or would we have to find someone else?"

Rumple chuckled. "I can teach him, if that's what you decide. I'd be happy to teach him."

"But it's light magic."

"As is healing, and I'm perfectly capable of that." The former Dark One pulled in another breath and met his son's hesitant gaze. "I tend towards dark magic, this is true. My curse lent its power much more easily to it. Even so, I spent many years educating myself on all types of magic and even magic that I have not spent a great deal of time practicing due to the way it would affect my curse, I know it inside and out. Now that the curse is broken, I can most certainly teach and demonstrate alike."

"What's the difference between them?"

"Intent, mostly, and where you pull from. Dark magic pulls from those most hated moments in your life. You find them and you let them dig into your soul, fueling you, and it gives you power like you can't imagine. Light magic is often not so potent, but it can be, if the sorcerer is strong enough. Given time and training, Henry will be."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"I… We can't just ignore it, can we?"

"It wouldn't be wise."

"Then okay. I want you to train him. I mean… I should probably talk to Emma and maybe even Regina, but I think they'll be okay with it as long as you promise not to teach him to rip people's hearts out or something."

Rumplestiltskin grimaced. "No, I should say we'll skip that lesson, as well as quite a few others that Regina had in her time as my student." Regina would come around. She had refused to study light magic along with dark and would never be able to school her adopted son in it now. She'd pitch a fit, as was her way, but then she'd come to reason. A brief glimpse into the future affirmed Emma's agreement as well and he moved to take hold of his cane, easing himself off the bed.

"Where're you going?"

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to go find Henry. He's likely to be very put out if the conversation went half as poorly as it seems to have."

Bae flushed at that and stood. Rumple reached out and offered him a smile. "We'll just have a chat this evening. Henry can ask the questions I've been putting off and you can ask any further ones that come to mind."

His son nodded slowly, his expression easing just a little. The started for the door together and Bae reached to to steady him as he leaned heavily on the old cane and set off to find the boy that had reunited them.

* * *

"You didn't get an invite either?"

Belle had been on her way to the Grand Hall for a book she was certain she'd left there when Emma's voice caught her by surprise. The blonde princess was seated on a windowsill and looked to be doing more daydreaming than reading the huge tome that she had in her hands. Regina must have needed a distraction for her reluctant student to keep her on track even if she didn't have time for an actual lesson that day. "Invited to what?"

Emma frowned, setting the book aside. "Blue showed up about half an hour ago and demanded to speak to David, Mary Margaret, Thomas, and Philip. Apparently I didn't make the cut. I would have thought you did though."

"No, I haven't heard anything about it." Had the Blue Fairy not been the instigator, Belle would have thought that her bubbling suspicion was simply Rumple wearing off on her, but she'd heard enough about their history to know that there was no love between them - and Rumplestiltskin was not wholly at fault for it - and seen enough with her own eyes to know that Blue manipulated people just as much as Rumple did, though perhaps she was a little less truthful about it. Belle knew she'd been left out for a reason and that reason could not possibly bode well for them in the end. Blue was trying to keep information away from Rumple, which meant it was likely information he'd prefer to have.

"Do you ever get the feeling my parents put a little too much faith in Blue? She always seems to be very careful about what she says."

"And who she says it to," Belle agreed, not missing the glint of mischief in Emma's eyes.

"It'd be a shame if something was said that we should know about, right?"

"Now, Emma, you wouldn't be suggesting that we eavesdrop on your parents' meeting with the Blue Fairy?"

"Oh, come on. You know she's hiding something too."

This brought a small laugh from Belle. Emma really was much sneakier than anyone gave her credit for. Poor Henry really had no hope with it coming down both lines as it did. "We'd certainly be remiss if we didn't investigate, wouldn't we?"

"And I can try out that new cloaking spell that Regina said would take me weeks to learn. Time to prove her wrong."

Belle grinned at this and they set off down the hall towards the small room that David had taken for the meeting room. Voices drifted out, indicating that there was some sort of meeting going on within and they leaned against the wall, listening carefully.

"… willing to help," Blue was saying, "but she fears for the alliances that have been made, as I can well understand."

"I'll admit our alliances are not traditional in this fight, but what has been?" Philip asked. "They've proven productive to everyone involved."

"Regina is not a threat to us anymore," Snow White said firmly.

"You have been misled by her before, child," Blue answered, her condescending tone likely lost on the dark haired princess. "Though Regina is not the one I'm referring to."

Belle and Emma exchanged glances and Emma rolled her eyes as if to say _here we go again. _She might have been swayed early on by the fairy, but she'd had little patience for her since. Mostly, Belle thought, because Emma had been pulling her weight while Blue had been fluttering about, only popping by when it suited her. She would not be one to lead an attack, but she'd certainly encourage others to do it. All the while she would likely sabotage one of their strongest allies in her attempts to reach for some unattainably good goal that she had set somewhere up in the stars. Belle believed it goodness, and she strove to do things right in her own life, but depriving others of free will was just as terrible any darkness that she'd come across.

There was a sigh loud enough from inside that the women listening could hear it before Thomas spoke up. "You know how I've felt about Rumplestiltskin in the past," the young prince said, hesitating only briefly before saying the name, "but after what happened at my home… even I think we can trust him for this. Maybe the curse breaking did do something, I don't know, but he could have left us to die and didn't."

"I understand King George did not get that treatment," Blue answered.

"George set up the attack," Phillip argued.

"Rumplestiltskin does not have the right to play judge and jury," the fairy snapped back. She obviously had not received the welcome that she had expected.

"Listen," David's calm voice cut in, "what he did was probably not the best action that could have been taken, but he was injured and at the end of his abilities-"

"So he says."

"- and he did what he could to protect the rest of us. What's done is done, but the situation with George does not warrant cutting ties with and splitting our alliance up. He attacked us and sided with Zelena and Pan. I'm willing to do what you asked and send Snow and Emma - if she'll agree to it - with you to break Glinda's banishment."

"Emma should be able to wield enough light magic to do this," Blue agreed. "Thank you, David. Snow. I still think it best, though, that Rumplestiltskin is not made aware of this until she is free, for Glinda's sake."

"What makes you think that he's going to hurt her?" Snow asked.

"I have known him much longer than any of you have. To get what he wants, Rumplestiltskin will go to any length, or need I remind you that it was his curse that Regina cast?"

"You going to tell him?" Emma murmured.

"Yes," Belle answered in a breath.

"Good. One of us was going to. I'll keep an eye on the fairy if you and Gold promise to keep Henry safe while I'm gone."

"Between the lot of us, I think we can manage that," Belle answered with a smile.

* * *

Killian Jones was becoming increasingly less and less comfortable with the arrangement he'd been put into. The Dark One had said that he'd set the spell up so that it would deliver him out of harm should anything threatening happen, but he'd also said he was going to give him his free will back. Hook was more inclined to believe that the elder man had put on a show of missing that part of the spell for his son and grandson's sake rather than the the oversight that he'd said it was. The pirate was fairly certain that he'd been left to die by his foe.

He'd seen the glint in Zelena's eye when he delivered the fake stone to her, though he couldn't have been sure that she knew that quickly. Even so, it was only a matter of time before she figured it out and that he was called back to face his own destruction. The fact that she'd waited nearly a week to call him could only mean she'd been distracted. She hadn't bothered to simply call, either, but had teleported him there herself. That was the only reason Hook found himself shifting his weight from foot to foot in front of her, the massive wings that could carry him across the land flapping rather uselessly behind him as her spell worked in and around him.

"Hello, dear," the witch said pleasantly enough. Behind her hovered Pan, grinning like an imp that knew he was about to witness something gruesome.

Hook watched them both carefully and there must have been something in his expression that told his captor that she was right. Hook thought himself a decent enough sneak when he needed to be, but he always had control of when to leave the situation. Now he was the playtoy being tossed between two powerful sorcerers.

"Well now, you've been quite a poor pet, haven't you?" Zelena purred, patting him on the head. "You've been unfaithful."

He was in trouble and the spell Rumplestiltskin had supposedly worked in to pull him away was doing nothing. If he died in this place, he was going to haunt that damn spinner until he went mad and threw himself from the tallest tower of his own castle with no magic to catch him.

One green hand was under his chin now, forcing him to look up at her. "Rumple has left you to rot, pirate. You chose the wrong side. You understand that, don't you?"

Oh, he understood that, certainly. He tried to scurry back but she had frozen him and he couldn't move an inch. He really had pictured his death a bit more grand than all of this.

"Not sure he does," Pan said as he lighted and walked towards the pirate he'd once made a deal with. "I think your loyalties don't lie with Rumple at all. They lie with the little blonde savior."

"Well that just won't do at all. Can't have my pets splitting loyalties, Hook."

He felt the magic start to sink into him and he was done for. He knew he was. He'd never see Emma again or anyone for that matter. Rumplestiltskin hadn't lived up to his end of the bargain.

Those were his final thoughts as he squeezed his eyes closed and felt like he was falling, Zelena's infuriated scream fading away as a whole different style if magic _tugged_.

* * *

When Baelfire had escaped Neverland some two or three centuries after he had arrived, he'd been more than a little bitter. He'd spent his days either running from Pan or trying to find a way to break from his camp. His dreams had alternated between the nightmares of his papa letting him go and the ones where Rumplestiltskin came and saved him. The nightmare began with that one when he woke, often to a poison-tipped spear in his face and the _games_ would begin again with no end in sight.

The shadow had not been happy to take him back to the Land Without Magic, but Bae hadn't cared too much at that point. He made it a deal: his freedom for the shadow's. If it didn't abide by it, it could make a home in its little coconut shaped prison for the rest of eternity. It had chosen it's freedom, of course, but that didn't mean it exhibited anything akin to gratitude when it dropped Bae off in New York City on the edge of a new century. Time might move slower in Neverland, but not so slow that time in the Land Without Magic hadn't kept ticking away, and, as with Neverland before it, his father hadn't been there to rescue him. As Baelfire slowly learned to become Neal, Rumplestiltskin faded as much from his mind as he could make him and the bitterness had settled there, corrupting the good memories that should have outweighed the bad. That's when he'd truly learned to hate his father.

Or so he'd thought. Now, as he glanced over to the side, he saw the face of the man that he'd once loved and, while he'd changed, he was still the same at his core. He loved his son and he loved his family more than life itself. Bae had been too young to fully grasp what all had happened, but now, looking back, he knew his papa had always sacrificed everything for him. It was because of that that he could face the idea of his own son learning magic. He didn't know how well he'd face it, but he _could_ face it.

Henry was seated out in one of the side gardens, knees pulled up to his chest and he was watching a ladybug crawl over his fingers with so much intensity that he didn't hear the two men approach. The boy startled as the sound of his grandfather's cane became impossible to miss against the stones and he turned. The expression on his face broke Bae's heart.

Rumplestiltskin eased himself down on a bench and not for the first time Bae realized just how good he was with Henry. The elder man was smiling as he spoke with him, though Bae's own son had yet to offer him any sort of greeting. He hadn't realized how much damage _not_ saying something would cause.

"I know I haven't been very forthcoming in answering your questions as you'd like me to be," Bae's papa was telling his son and Henry shrugged in return.

"That's okay. Dad probably doesn't want you to teach me." Now he risked a hesitant glance at his father and his voice sounded so small. "Right, Dad?"

Bae pulled in a long breath through his nose and took a seat next to his son on the garden stones. It was quiet, the evening air only cool despite the winter that was quickly descending outside the gates. "We're going to talk to your mom and Regina about it before anything definite, but Papa's going to answer any questions that you have… and any I have."

"I told you that I would when your father gave the okay," Rumplestiltskin said softly.

Henry seemed to brighten just a bit at this. "You're okay with it, Dad?" he asked, and there was so much hope there that Bae just wanted to wrap his arm around him and never let go. His papa had often told him when he was young that someday he'd understand what it was to have a son and everything that came with that.

"Well, you obviously have a talent, and if it can keep you safe, then I'm willing to give it a go."

"Thanks, Dad." He turned to his grandpa. "Can I ask _anything_?"

Rumplestiltskin chuckled. "Well, you can ask."

Henry shot off questions in rapid succession to the point that his grandfather had to speak quickly to keep up, and Bae just listened in amazement. He'd expected to have more questions than Henry, to be honest, as he'd had more experience when it came to magic over the years. He had thought he knew what to ask, but his boy was intuitive about so much and magic was being added to that list. As they went on the questions became more complicated and Rumplestiltskin's expression grew more and more proud as he finally eased himself to the ground with his son and grandson, injured leg stretched out in front of him and Bae didn't even want to think about how he was going to get back up. His papa wasn't thinking on that, though. He was entirely focused on the challenge set before him.

"So what made her sort of steam like that?"

"Likely the light magic. Zelena pulls entirely from dark magic, so only light magic will do her any lasting harm."

"Did I hurt her? I mean… Really hurt her?"

Henry's voice almost seemed worried and Bae watched his father offer a reassuring smile. "Likely not. Reactional magic that has never been trained rarely will do a great deal of lasting damage. It likely stung rather harshly though."

"Will I be able to heal people? Like when you healed my arm after I came out of the Netherworld?"

"Yes, I should imagine you'd be quite talented at healing, Henry. You have the heart for it."

"See, Dad? I can do really good things with it," Henry said, looking at Bae.

Baelfire felt a surprising grin take hold and he wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders. "I know you can, buddy. I have total faith in you."

Henry's response was cut off by the terrible crashing sound around the corner and towards the front gate. Bae was on his feet instantly, his son following. Rumplestiltskin, though, was a little slower, trying to balance himself without putting too much weight on his injured ankle.

"What the hell was that, Pop?"

"Someone's at the gate," his father answered, expression dark. Bae knew that look and it meant that his father wasn't sure who it was and that he didn't like it one bit.

"Stay here, Henry," Bae ordered and after a moment his son raised both hands palms outward as if to say that he gave and would be right there when they returned.

"Stay with him," Rumplestiltskin tried, but his son just rolled his eyes.

"That hasn't worked since I was Henry's age."

"Enjoy it while you can."

Bae resisted the urge to reach out and help his papa as he limped forward, pain etched into his features. He needed to be on his own two feet for whatever they were about to face, but he wasn't one to ask for help. He never had been.

As they moved around towards the front of the gate a voice could be heard on the otherside. It was impossible to tell who it belonged to at first, but as they neared it, Killian Jones' voice became clearer. "Damn it, crocodile! You swore! You _swore_!"

Rumplestiltskin raised his left hand and the gate opened just a little, allowing the pirate to tumble in, blue eyes wide and he looked like he'd seen hell.

"What happened?" Bae asked, kneeling down to help his sometimes-friend up.

"She knows. Zelena knows about your damn switch," he growled out at Rumplestiltskin.

* * *

TBC

Notes: This is likely going to be a two-update week, just to give you fair warning. I was weighing it back and forth if I should wait to update tomorrow and then update on Thursday or just go ahead and skip Wednesday, and I think that's likely what's going to happen. Who knows though, half the time when I'm certain I won't make an update, that's the time when my muse kicks in and somehow my time frees up and suddenly I'm four chapters ahead of where I'm posting lol!

Next time - Plans are made to storm Regina and Snow's castle, Regina finds out that Henry can use magic, and Rumplestiltskin receives a very interest visitor.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen.**

The reaction that he was witnessing right then was the reason he preferred to work alone. Rumplestiltskin frowned at the way that the room had erupted. Utterly erupted. It was like these royals had never heard a bit of distasteful news in their lives. Blue wasn't helping things in the way she fanned the flames, apparently either not caring about her secrets as much as she'd indicated or simply aware that both Belle and David had come to him separately about her talk with them three days prior. The fact that he'd only kept Hook underwraps for three days after his initial panicked arrival meant he was slipping and he'd have none of that. It was time to take control of the situation as he'd always done before.

Zelena would be enraged, Blue assured the frightened royals - several of which she'd personally brought in that morning and likely thought would help push Rumple out of the conversation - and she would retaliate immediately. In turn, they could waste no more time in freeing Glinda and begging her help at any cost. Her dark, distrustful gaze slipped over to the former Dark One at those words and he resisted the urge to agree with her.

He'd been fitting, pulling apart, and then repositioning pieces of the future to find the right path to follow since Hook's arrival, but it kept shifting and changing as new people became aware of the information he'd brought with him and plans were made and unmade within five minutes of each other. David had brought up the fact that Snow wished to make a go for her childhood home and the current consensus seemed to be that with Glinda's help, they could win. No one seemed interested in the fact that Glinda wasn't powerful enough to get the job done. Oh, she might be a distraction, but that was about it. The witch had nothing on her western "sister." Blue, though, told them that she did, and for many that was all that it took.

As royals and nobles alike nodded and agreed with each other that Glinda could save them from Zelena - had everyone simply forgotten Pan? - Rumplestiltskin sat in the back of the room watching the puzzle pieces fit and unfit, move and reposition until he found it. A slow smile crept to his thin lips. A distraction indeed. The do-gooders might not like it, but that might just be the only way to avoid the particularly nasty flash that had ripped through his visions when David had first brought it up. That had been a body count that would leave his little family in shambles. He hadn't seen Bae or Belle there directly, but he'd certainly seen enough faces that he recognized to be willing to make a sacrifice of some witch that none of them knew in order to keep the others alive and keep that damn stone out of Zelena's hands. With only two, she would have to be truly desperate to try to use Henry to cast her spell.

"You'd think doomsday was coming," Bae muttered as he took a seat next to his father.

"With what Blue has been telling people, I'm not surprised that they feel that way," Belle whispered, leaning almost over Rumplestiltskin to keep her voice low enough that only the three of them could hear.

"Would you like to switch seats?"

His quip was met with a glare. "This is _serious_, Rumple. We knew she was trying to turn everyone here against you, but they've seen how much you've changed. She won't sway David, so now she's trying to convince others so that they'll force his hand."

"David's hand won't be forced," he answered her softly. "If anything, mine is the only one being forced."

Bae looked over at him, his eyes narrowed only a little. His gaze wasn't accusing, but it was questioning. "What do you mean, Papa?"

"Well I'm going along with this _particularly_ stupid idea that I've tried to talk him out of. He'll hear none of it."

His son nodded, accepting the answer, but he didn't look especially pleased with it. Likely because he _did_ trust in his father's foresight, unlike David, and Rumple hadn't hid his reasons from his son any more than he'd hid them from David. The fact that the prince refused to listen was hardly his fault, which only forced his hand more, but that was life. One move, another move, and while you could manipulate people, Rumplestiltskin was not a fan of out-and-out controlling them. Free will was a beautiful thing and he wouldn't be the one to steal it away. Everyone had a choice, even if he nudged them in one direction or the other.

Bae glanced back over to Belle. "What has she been telling the nobles?"

"Papa says that she's telling them that Rumple will end up betraying everyone and side with Pan." She winced, glancing at her love. "She's been telling them that he's your father."

"Well, the rumour was bound to spread. Not at all surprised that it's by her," Rumplestiltskin huffed unhappily. "It'll be alright, Belle. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then know that I'm not going to let us all walk in to a trap. I still have a few tricks to play and I've been saving them."

"Not going to tell us what they are, are you, Pop?"

The sorcerer flashed his son a smile. "You already know that I have one of the stones she was after."

"But she knows that as well," Belle pointed out.

"Knowing and possessing are entirely different, my dear. It's still a point in our direction. In this fiasco, you take them where you can."

"But you haven't told David about that have you?" Bae asked.

Rumple knew that his son disagreed with that decision, but he wouldn't take it out of his father's hands either. Once again he found Bae choosing to trust him. "You know I haven't. Not yet, anyway."

Belle reached forward, taking his hand in hers and interlocked their fingers. The ring that he'd given her upon their return - simple and small at her request - brushed against his skin and he pulled her hand up to press a kiss to the back of it.

Bae sighed from his place, dark eyes flickering up to where David was discussing openly with Regina just how many soldiers they might be able to transport through magic between herself, Rumplestiltskin, and - surprisingly - Maleficent. The sorceress wasn't interested in the actual fighting - though Rumple knew for certain that she could be damn good if she chose, especially if she chose to transform into a dragon - but this was her friend's castle they were trying to seize back, so she'd agreed to help them get there. What she did past that was anyone's guess, but at least they were mostly certain she wouldn't side with their enemies. Teleporting them in such a way would certainly take some of the strain off of the soldiers themselves, if not the magic users that were being asked to carry the burden. "What about your ankle, Pop?" Bae asked suddenly.

His father grimaced. He'd been avoided that particular thought since all the pieces started falling into place that morning and continued to do so throughout the afternoon. It had been easy enough to push aside with all of his own plans to lay in a tightly restrained amount of time, but now his son had brought his attention screaming back to the fact that he was still very much limping around the castle with his cane, unable to put much weight on in and, if they were honest, unable to stand on it at all for any reasonable length of time. Rumplestiltskin sighed. "A quick fix to it will do more damage in the long run, but I'd rather that than not being able to move. Pan will seek me out. He always does."

Baelfire nodded. "Guess Henry's magic lessons are going to have to wait, huh?"

"Sounds like it. You mentioned it to Emma, yes?"

"She's all for it, but none of us have said anything to Regina."

Rumple snorted and his lips quirked at the edges. It could wait until after they returned. It would have to at this point. While he'd given the boy a couple of light spells to unravel - in which he'd done so very quickly and with great talent - he hadn't gone into any lessons of depth yet. Regina would be in a fine mood once they'd won her castle back. They could bring it up then because he certainly didn't need her being his wildcard in the precarious stack that he seemed to have hastily thrown up. It would work. It had to work. If it didn't, everything would fall apart.

* * *

"You are aware that Henry has been practicing magic, aren't you?"

Regina couldn't have stopped quicker if the castle had decided to grow a wall in her path. She spun, dark eyes narrowed at her old friend. "_What_?"

Maleficent shrugged. "I thought you knew, but when I saw Rumple teaching him rather than you… Well, I was a little surprised."

If a wall might as well have grown up in front of her, Regina was now questioning if the floor had disappeared under her. "He's doing… what?" she managed.

"My, my, Regina. You really don't know much about your own son's whereabouts recently, do you? Too much time with that handsome outlaw you seem to have snagged? Not that I blame you."

Maleficent was teasing her, she knew, but fear gripped her and wouldn't let go. Why would Rumple have started teaching magic and why was everyone keeping it from her? If Emma knew and hadn't said anything, she was going to kill her and all the ways that could happen started filler her mind, causing her to nearly boil over as she stalked out of the room without so much as a by-your-leave of her friend.

"Regina?" Maleficent called after her, sounding genuinely startled by the sudden change in temperament.

The Evil Queen flashed her a dark smile, one reminiscent of the old days. "Excuse me, won't you? I have to pay my former teacher a visit."

In the years before she cast the Dark Curse, Regina had never been able to teleport within the walls of Rumplestiltskin's castle. His wards prevented her from using any magic at all, actually, while within the boundaries. It was self preservation, she knew, as he couldn't keep her out entirely. She made too many deals with him and, in the end, he needed her to cast his curse.

Now the castle was used to her. Now she could go anywhere she wanted, mostly. She made it halfway up the steps to his work tower that he was certain to be in after the absurdly long meeting they'd both been stuck in all day - funny thing about being the mayor, she'd attended precious few lengthy meetings. She controlled the time, so she kept them short and to the point - and hit one of his wards. It stung a bit, but wouldn't budge. The Evil Queen rolled her eyes. "Rumplestiltskin!" she growled.

"Can I help you, dearie?" came the sing-songy voice from above.

"Let me up."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you're wasting effort keeping me down here when you know I'll bust through anyway."

"I don't know that, and neither do you, dear, so I'd suggest if you really want some of my valuable time that you find something more convincing."

She let out a huff of frustration and battered against the walls for a moment before stopping to listen for a response. She knew that he felt it now that he didn't have his bottomless well of power to pull from, and she heard a grunt from the work room that brought a bit of satisfaction at least. She hit once more before he must have decided that it just wasn't worth it and they let her pass. A smirk played on her lips until she crossed the top step and saw the reason why he had let her through had nothing to do with her own power, but his distraction.

Rumplestiltskin risked a momentary break of concentration in the spell he was casting to glare at her, the very obvious command to be quiet if she must be in there resounding within the look. Once he was satisfied that she'd received the message he turned back to what he was doing. He was sitting on his long work bench, the boot that was meant for his right foot discarded on the floor and Regina could see the tight wrappings and splint still tied around the injured ankle. She could both see and feel his magic working around it and could almost hear the bones snapping painfully into their more-or-less correct positions. The spell was one that few sorcerers would have preferred to use if they knew what they were doing in regards to healing. The human body was simply not made to be put back together so quickly after an injury quite like he'd suffered, but he was bypassing all of that for the sake of what they were about to set out to do.

Strain showed in the lines that were a little deeper than usual in his face and Rumplestiltskin pulled in a deep breath, a cracking sound making it hitch mid-inhale and his dark eyes flew open. Regina waited with uncharacteristic patience. The man was in enough pain and even she wouldn't risk being the cause of a slip that would make it worse than it was already. He'd likely regain his limp again for good with this choice, unless he wished to re-break the bones entirely.

After a few moments he let out a shaky breath and turned his attention back to her. "You were here to yell dearie?"

The rage had washed away now and she took a seat on an empty chair. "That was foolish, Rumple."

"It was necessary. You'll need to fix those on your way out, by the way," he muttered, motioning to the wards.

"So that I can get back in."

"The way they were, if you please."

She chuckled and they both knew that he would never risk her slipping an exception in for herself. "I'm here about Henry."

He didn't look like he was expecting that and he grimaced, hands wrapped around his newly healed and apparently still hurting ankle. "Oh hell."

"Yes, I've been made aware that my son is receiving lessons at your hand. What could have possessed you to begin something like that without consulting me first?"

"I haven't begun anything in earnest, just a few spells for him to unravel. I'd like him to have some defences while we're all away and those will sharpen his natural reactions."

"Natural reactions? What more don't I know?"

The former Dark One winced again. "Henry attacked Zelena with pure light magic while we were away. It was reactionary, and you know as well as I that that can be dangerous if left untrained."

"And why should you train him? I'm his mother."

"Regina, you out and out refused to learn light magic when I taught you. You don't know how to train him and Henry doesn't need to touch anything else. I'm sure I have your agreement in that, at least."

"You do," she breathed, feeling a rush of irritation at her younger self's shortsightedness. "It was _pure_ light magic?"

"It was," Rumple answered and she couldn't help but note how happy he sounded with it, even thought the pain. She never would have thought that he could have found it in himself to have been thrilled to think of anyone using only light magic and ignoring depth of power that dark magic provided one with. It wasn't as if he had stopped using it since his curse broke. Rumplestiltskin's skill, on a whole, would always be for the darker of magics. "Henry, apparently, is the product of True Love twice over, though we haven't broken the news to Emma yet, so I'd suggest keeping that bit to yourself."

"Emma and Neal?" Regina managed, having trouble wrapping her mind around it.

Rumplestiltskin, though, seemed very pleased by it. "Yes, of course."

"I'll be damned. You're not teaching him dark magic though?"

"No, and if you'd like to be along for the ride, as long as you don't interfere, you're welcome to sit in."

That, too, was an interesting change in her old mentor. Rumplestiltskin was not a man that cared to share, but in the recent months that they'd spent at the Dark Castle together, Regina had noticed the change that the breaking of his curse - or perhaps just the closeness of those he loved - had brought. He wasn't a different man. The curse and his own actions under it had left a stain on him that would never wash away, but she could see the signs of someone trying to be something better for those that they loved. She knew it because she'd seen it in herself and in that moment she couldn't shake the feeling that she and Rumplestiltskin were more alike than either of them cared to admit.

"Thank you," she said at last. "I appreciate that."

"You'll have to keep your trap shut," he said airily, "if you can manage. Those are my rules. Emma and Bae have been given the same."

"Putting restrictions on your own son?"

"I'm teaching Henry, not Bae. I'll do one thing right before I die, at least."

The words sent a cold chill through Regina, even if she knew they'd been meant as a jest. He was grinning his impish grin that had always irritated the hell out of her, even when she was young, but there was something lurking behind it that made her uncomfortable. It wasn't his own end he was looking at, or certainly he wouldn't have even allowed her in lest she break his concentration on finding a way around it, but there was something he wasn't saying. Something that he knew as going to happen that he wouldn't bother sharing. Well, at least some things would never change.

He called a book over to himself to focus his energies on while he was waiting to risk testing the newly healed ankle out and she knew she wasn't getting anything more out of him. After a moment, she bid him good evening and started back downstairs, wanting little more than to find Robin. If she were truly lucky - and sometimes she was - she'd find him with Roland and Henry and for a few moments on the eve before their plans were set into action, she could breathe in the feeling of belonging and love. It was worth the risk, she knew now, older and wiser, and it was a risk she was happy that she was taking.

* * *

Emma had done her best to ignore the competition that the Hook and Neal had seemed to have going in Neverland that had spilled into Storybrooke for the brief time that they were back there. She had no doubt that if Killian hadn't been turned into a monkey - and then wrangled into the employ of Neal's dad as a spy - that it would have continued on until she made a decision between them. Choosing neither had never been a real option, she knew.

She wouldn't say that she'd fallen for Neal instantly. No, that had taken some smooth - or really, not so smooth, as Neal had a habit of tripping over his words and phrases when he broke past his own first couple layers of protection - talking and that damn grin of his to get her to go out to drinks with him. She'd gone, they'd talked, and she'd fallen in love. Then he'd broken her heart.

After she'd gotten out of prison and tried to put her life on track she'd avoided anyone that remotely reminded her of Neal, so she'd fallen for guys like Hook. They knew all the right words, flashed a dazzling smile - not a lopsided grin - at all the right times, and were safe. They were safe because they were easy to leave and often were the ones doing the leaving. She had no reason to get attached.

Emma was pretty sure that Killian went quite a few layers deeper than any of those men, but in the end he was still the safe bet. When everything went to hell - and everything always went to hell - no one would complain. Her father didn't like him, her mother barely tolerated him, and Henry hadn't really had a chance to get to know him. Neal, on the other hand, was dangerous. He wasn't dangerous in the fear-for-your-life sort of way, but he'd left. He'd abandoned her. Then, worst of all, he'd come back and everything had tugged her back towards him like two magnets pulling together. Her parents' vote was clearly in his favour, and there was no question where Henry's loyalty lay. Up until very, very recently, Hook would have been the obvious choice, but he'd lost whatever round they were currently on. That much was evident enough by the man sleeping soundly in the bed next to her.

She'd always liked to watch Neal sleep. It might have been weird, but it seemed like the one time when everything really washed away. Knowing what she did now, especially, she knew that fewer men could have rolled with the punches he'd been dealt in his life quite like he had, but there was still some scarring left from it. Quite a bit, in fact, but when he was sleeping next to her it seemed to fade just a little. Emma liked to think it didn't with anyone else.

He stirred and Emma burrowed a little deeper into her pillow, waiting to see if he'd wake up or not. He settled back out though and she sighed, left again to the thoughts that had originally kept her awake, before she was distracted by him. The last days had been a little crazy with Hook's return followed immediately by Blue's. The fairy seemed to be the type that when a thought became wedged in her mind that nothing in all the worlds could shake it loose, even when the idea made no sense at all. Emma would be the first one to admit that she knew precious little about the place she and her son now called home, but people were people and she knew those pretty well. Even those with wings that glittered.

Mary Margaret had been pressuring David for a while now, Emma had found, to take back her childhood home from Zelena. Regina had been right there with her, so when Thomas' troops were relinquished to David's disposal, the plans that had been made began to fall into place. Blue was determined that Glinda was their saving grace and that she would beat Zelena back with her light magic. She'd explained that the Good Witch on the South had been banished to the northernmost reaches of the Enchanted Forest, but the clever witch had protected herself by creating a door that would allow only the purest of heart to enter. While Emma wasn't entirely sure she fit that bill, the fairy had assured her that no one would be more worthy to enter than the product of Snow White and Prince Charming's True Love. The blonde wondered if the fairy would be quite inclined to say that if she knew that that product of True Love was currently sleeping with the son of the former Dark One. Emma knew people, and she'd have bet a hefty sum that Blue would pitch a fit over it. It'd be funny to watch.

"What are you smiling about so hard at this hour?" Neal mumbled sleepily.

"The Blue Fairy's meltdown if she found out about us."

Neal chuckled, wrapping an arm around her pulling her closer so he could kiss the top if her head. She let him, his breath warm against her skin as he moved down to kiss her forehead and she shoved him a little, pulling a laugh from him in return. He was grinning at her when she looked up and she found herself smiling back. In the morning they'd split ways, leaving out in opposite directions to come back to wage war against Regina's crazy older sister. It sounded absolutely insane, but all of this was insane. "You think we can really win this?"

Neal was already inching back towards sleep, arms wrapped around her. "I do," he murmured. "Don't you?"

"I guess so. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one around here without this blinding optimism that seems to be going around. Maybe I'm not drinking the right water or something."

Neal chuckled, his eyes closed. "There's a few of us that don't drink the koolaid."

Emma snorted. "Even your dad who's been four-square against this whole thing from the get-go said something funny earlier."

"What's that?"

"I don't know, it was a little out of the blue. He just said that I was more powerful than I gave myself credit for and to remember who I wanted to protect. Any idea why he'd say that?"

"Papa's got it all worked out, and if there's one thing he's good at, it's making sure all the pieces are in place."

"Great. I'm a piece in his plan. Good to know nothing changes." She paused, watching him carefully. "Since when did you put so much faith in your dad?"

"Since he started earning it back."

* * *

Rumplestiltskin couldn't sleep. Between the terrible ache in his leg that he hoped would fade by morning and the fact that his mind was whipping about to make sure he hadn't missed any small yet significant pieces to his rather complicated puzzle, he'd finally given up on it. Somehow he'd managed to slip out without waking Belle and found himself pulled by his magic to a particularly long hallway in the west wing of his castle. Moonlight shone in through the oversized windows, illuminating the figure that stood with his hands clasped nervously behind his back, and he turned when he realized that the name he'd muttered really _had_ summoned him.

"I wasn't sure that it would still work with your curse broken," Sir Maurice said quietly as he turned to face the window again, his gaze fixated on the courtyard below.

"When I choose."

"I hardly think you'd choose to listen to me if you'd known who it was," the landed knight grumbled and Rumplestiltskin smirked at that. He'd known perfectly well, no matter how subtle his fiance's father had tried to be. He'd failed terribly at that, but he _was_ Belle's father, and every once and a while he thought he should try to remember that and play nice.

"And I hardly think you called me here for the company," the sorcerer answered evenly.

That brought a nervous sort of chuckle from Belle's father. "No, I shouldn't think it will ever come to that. It pains me - greatly - to ask you for a favour."

That was interesting. "And what sort of favour would you be desperate enough to call me for?"

"I need you to convince Belle to stay out of this mess tomorrow."

Rumplestiltskin stiffened at this, turning is dark eyes and finding Maurice looking at him. There was a lot of distrust and no small amount of dislike between them, but if they shared one thing, it was their love for Belle. It wasn't that he hadn't tried to talk her out of going himself, however briefly, but she'd been firm in her decision and he'd promised to respect it if she promised to where the protection charm necklace. She had very practically pointed out that she'd been training for a reason and he knew she liked fewer things less than the feeling of being useless.

Maurice would have approached Belle first, of course, and was only there because he felt he had no other way short of a truly foolish act like trying to kidnap her again, and even Rumplestiltskin was about certain by this point he'd learned that lesson.

"Belle makes her own decisions," he answered at last, the words slow and careful. "You and I both know that."

The woman in question's father huffed, unhappy with the answer that he must have known was true. Neither of them would ever convince Belle to be anything less than she was and she was nothing less than a brilliant, brave, and daring woman that would give anything to do what was right. Even so, Rumplestiltskin understood a parent's worry for their child. "She will be safe. I've made sure of it."

"You've set the board then, have you?"

The smaller man's expression glossed over immediately to remain carefully blank. He hadn't told a soul what he'd planned. Not even Belle. He didn't dare if he wanted it to work. Too many variables trying to take charge of the situation was how they'd gotten into this mess in the first place, so how this lumbering oaf had figured it out would be completely beyond him.

He watched him, looking for signs that the absurd fear was based in any sort of truth, and thankfully found none. Maurice was simply a man afraid for his daughter and grasping at the hope that he'd made sure that she'd be safe. He was right in thinking so, of course, but he had no idea _how_ Rumplestiltskin had manipulated things. That was all well enough then.

"She told me that you asked for her hand and that she accepted," Maurice was saying and Rumple realized that he'd been thoroughly caught up in his thoughts.

"I did and she did."

"I don't know what she sees in you, but she does love you. She's never loved anyone like she loves you."

"Your daughter is a remarkable woman," Rumple answered softly, thoughts of Belle stealing away any harshness that might have made its way into his tone and turned the words down a gentler path. "I love her with everything I am and I will protect her with everything I have in me."

"That's all I need to know," Maurice answered with a nod. "It's time I realize my little girl grew up."

Rumplestiltskin didn't say anything and Maurice let out a long breath and turned, starting down the hall without another word. As he watched Maurice go he pushed back on a vision that tried to work its way into his mind, cutting it off before it got there. He would be riding in with them tomorrow, the sorcerer had heard from his fiance before they'd gone to bed and she to sleep, along with the troops that he'd offered for the battle. There wasn't a great deal that Rumple found in Maurice that deserved his respect, but the fact that he was just as willing to put his own life on the line as his men's had earned him some, but Rumple had learned the fact too late. It hadn't been worked into his already hastily constructed plan to keep them all above water in this mess and he didn't know if the man would make it out alive or not. The vision pushed at him again and this time he saw Belle, dressed all in white and smiling at him, but if she were on her father's arm or not he didn't dare note.

* * *

TBC

Notes: Well, I'm getting the chapter up. Later than usual, but up on Wednesday. Woot!

Next time - Emma finds out that she's stronger than she thought and Rumplestiltskin fights to make his plan work.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty.**

Henry did not like this plan. He didn't like it one bit. On most days, he had no trouble putting his trust in his family to come up with something clever, but they'd piled this attack into the planning span of just a couple of days and even a twelve-year-old could see that was likely to have holes littered all through it, even if one of the planners could see the future. Grandpa Gold had told him everything would be okay though, so he had to believe him. Regina, Emma, and Neal had all said the same thing, so it couldn't be a lie just to make him feel better. They'd be back. They'd promised.

"I don't want Papa to go," Roland said, his voice pitching up in a way that made him sound like he might start crying at any second.

"He'll be back soon, sweetie," Granny assured him from her place at the window.

"I want to go!" the little boy cried, suddenly making a dart for the door that led the foyer and out to the courtyard.

Henry caught him though, and pulled him back. "What if we go watch them disappear from the tower? My mom and grandpa are going to make take them away in a puff of smoke. It'll be cool. If we hurry we can see it."

Roland didn't look like he believed him so Henry took him by the hand and pulled him along after. They raced down the corridor and Henry found the door just where he needed it. The steps they climbed should never have taken him to his grandpa's tower, but they did and the two boys burst out from the magical hallway and up the spiraling stairs just in time to see the crowd of soldiers and sorcerers below. Henry sat Roland up on the window sill and hopped up with him, pressing his face against the glass.

Neal turned and looked up and Henry thought he saw him smile as he waved. Henry waved back, urging Roland to look down to where his own papa was waving at him too. Regina stood next to Robin and she joined in. Grandma Snow, Emma, and the Blue Fairy were already gone. They'd thought they might need more time to break through the holds that kept Glinda locked to her space than Rumplestiltskin, Regina, and Maleficent - if she was still with them by the time they landed there - would need dismantling Zelena's outer defences.

The grownups turned back in and Henry watched his Grandpa Gold motion for them to come in closer and he might have offered a wink in the boys' direction before dark red, purple, and Maleficent's own lighter shade of violet swirled around them Henry tapped the window. "Watch," he urged and Roland pressed his face against the glass. The magic continued to build, swirling, and weaving around each other with the three magic users working together - something that was more difficult than it appeared, his grandfather had told him the day before - and then they were gone, leaving only an unnatural wind stirring just outside the castle gates, flurries of snow drifting down from the sky to cover the space like they'd never been there at all.

* * *

Emma wasn't new to be being teleported here and there, but fairy magic and human magic was, apparently, very different. While Regina and Maleficent's magic tingled a little it was pretty straight forward. They set the magic out, it wrapped around, and you were gone, appearing wherever they deemed to take you. She wanted to learn it someday, but much to her own displeasure had not learned it in time to avoid the Blue Fairy being their mode of transportation that day. She hadn't known to expect anything different, so when Blue had smiled that sickeningly sweet smile of hers and blown her damn sparkly dust all over her, Emma had about choked on it.

She was still sputtering, coughing, and sneezing when they landed and she turned a furious look on the fairy. "Some warning would have been _great_."

"I'm sorry, child, I thought you knew how fairies traveled."

Blue didn't sound sorry. Not really, but Mary Margaret shot her a look that told her that voicing every thought was not necessary, so Emma recalled the same image of a flabbergasted Blue finding out about Neal to mind that she'd shared with him the night before and had to remind herself not to laugh out loud. It did the trick though and she was less incline to throttle the self-appointed ultimate good.

"So where is Glinda? We should hurry. The others are waiting on us," Mary Margaret pressed and the Blue Fairy glided forward.

"She's here," she said, motioning towards a door.

Emma blinked. She'd seen a lot of strange things in her time in the Enchanted Forest, but a door without walls leaned even more towards the strange side than usual. Sure, the doors and walls _moved_ in the Dark Castle - she was starting to think at Neal's whims, actually, as much as his father's - but they were always connected to something. This was just… standing there. She walked towards it, brushing past the little fairy and peeked around, finding no invisible wall keeping her from looking _around_ the door. "What the hell?"

"It's a test," Blue answered her, her voice sounding as if the blonde princess might be straining her patience. "If you're pure of heart she will let you pass through. It's to keep Zelena out."

"What's to keep her from attacking Glinda once she's free?" Mary Margaret asked, eyeing the door.

"Well, her full powers will be freed once she is. There is nothing to fear. Come, Snow. Open the door and we will reclaim your childhood home. There's no reason to linger in darkness any longer than you must."

Mary Margaret nodded enthusiastically and reached for the door. Emma, on the other hand, shot it a skeptical look even as it opened… into nothing. See? she wanted to say. Nothing magical about the door except that it hasn't fallen over yet. This was some sorcerers' idea of a practical joke.

"Go on, child," Blue urged and Emma's mother stepped through and disappeared.

The blonde blinked at the open doorway for a moment, her mind scrambling to make sense of it. Phrases and bits of information battled with each other to come together into something useful and she was _sure_ she'd read something about this kind of spell in Regina's epically huge book of magic that she'd given her. "A cloaking spell," she said at last, but she received about as much praise for coming up with the right answer from the fairy as she would have received from Regina herself.

"Yes, it is," Blue said as if Emma had just told her that fire was hot. "You shouldn't doddle. Go on."

Knowing that it was a cloaking spell and expecting it to take her through the portal it hid were two entirely different things, but Emma stepped through, finding herself on a hillside covered with snow. Her mother was already speaking gleefully with a blonde woman dressed all in white and Blue flew through the door behind her, shifting into her larger form to take the woman's hands in her own. "We must hurry or we will lose all hope."

"Emma, this is Glinda," Mary Margaret introduced, almost as if she'd known the other woman for years. "She's going to help us."

Glinda's eyes shown and Emma tried to crush the feeling that the gaze looked a little too much like' Blue's for comfort. It probably just came from already having spent more time around the obnoxious fairy than she normally would have cared to. No need to judge the poor woman so harshly.

"So you're Storybrooke's savior," the Good Witch gushed. "The Blue Fairy has told me all about you."

"I'm sure she has," Emma groused. "So you can beat Zelena?"

"Oh no, dear. She's much too powerful."

Emma felt the world shift under her feet and she blanched. Neal and her dad - along with everyone else - were probably there already had had already begun to fight. They were supposed to break Glinda free as quickly as possible and deliver her to the battlefield so that she could face Zelena head-on, destroying the Wicked Witch. It wouldn't do away with their Pan problem, but halving the villainous pair was something at least and right now they'd take what they could get. "Then what the hell are we here for?" she growled, not bothering to hide the boiling irritation. "You told Blue that you could-"

The fairy shifted behind her. "When I sought Glinda out she confided to me that Zelena was much too powerful for her to defeat."

"Her power is kept in her broach," Glinda added, but it was nothing that Gold hadn't already figured out. "Light magic will-"

"Yeah, we know that," Emma snapped. "Rumplestiltskin told us."

Glinda flinched at the name and Blue frowned. "With the Dark One knowing her whereabouts, time was of the essence that we free Glinda so that he cannot harm her and deliver her pendant to Zelena. It is imperative that we keep her from gaining all four of them, lest we be entirely unable to stop her."

Emma met the fairy's eyes steadily and didn't flinch. She didn't have any idea that Zelena hadn't gotten ahold of the pendant she'd been after at Thomas' castle. Granted, as far as Emma knew, very few people were aware of that little fact. She wasn't even supposed to know, but Neal had trouble keeping secrets from her. He hadn't liked the idea of keeping it from everyone else, either, but he'd told her that he was choosing to trust his father in this. If Rumplestiltskin decided that it was best to keep that information quiet, he had a reason, and Emma was starting to think that that reason was small and sparkly.

"I don't understand," Mary Margaret managed. "David and the others are relying on us being able to help them. Glinda was the key to this plan. If we can't defeat her… They're all going to die."

"We're not going to let that happen," her daughter assured her and Blue nodded firmly.

"Of course we won't. I would never allow something like that to happen, Snow. Surely you know that."

Mary Margaret swallowed hard. "Then what?"

"I cannot defeat her alone," Glinda said softly and her gaze fell on the savior. "But you, Emma… Together with the Blue Fairy we can wield enough light magic that we should be able to take Zelena's pendant from her. Without it she'll be powerless and we will win back your parents' kingdom from her."

"We need your help to save your family, Emma," Blue said and Emma turned a cold glare on her.

"Listen, I have a pretty good bull shit meter and it's wailing right now. You haven't been straight with us since the beginning. Why start now?"

"I don't know what you mean," Blue managed.

"I think you do. You didn't think we'd come here to get Glinda without thinking she could do it on her own. Why?"

"Emma," Mary Margaret cut in, a hand going to her daughter's arm to calm her, "we don't have time for this. We have to go. Your father, Neal, and the others are counting on us. We'll handle this… misunderstanding after we've defeated Zelena."

Blue's startled look at Neal's name being mentioned along with David didn't go unnoticed, but Emma ignored it. Instead she pushed a long breath out through her nose, frustration near boiling. She'd be lucky if she could reel it in enough for the light magic that they thought she could do. Not that she'd ever been trained in it, specifically.

"You'll do great," Mary Margaret assured her as if she could read her thoughts.

"This isn't over," Emma promised the lead fairy. "Once we've gotten her, I want the truth."

"Of course, child. We will speak on any matter you wish, but first we must free Glinda."

"Right," the blonde nearly growled and turned towards the door, focusing her thoughts on the ones she loved. Henry's face filled her mind. He was laughing and running, free to be everything that he'd dreamt of and finally in a place that he knew he could belong. His smile warmed her heart, making it easier to pull on happier memories of her parents and even of Neal. Her entire body grew warm and the sensation flushed through, making her fingers tingle a little and she remembered what Gold had said the day that he'd told her that she would be performing the magic with the dreamcatcher to see what Pongo had seen. _Will it_, he had told her, and in that moment she pushed against the door and against the wards that kept Glinda trapped there. Magic rushed through her and it was _powerful_. The wards came crashing down like glass shattering and they were no longer standing in the snow-covered mountains, but in the forest outside the portal door.

"Very good, Emma," Blue praised.

Emma blinked, feeling a bit woozy from the burst and she could almost hear the warnings about the price bouncing around in her head. She didn't have time to push it off and find a plausible route for it to take like Regina had been teaching her - she didn't even know if that would work with light magic - before a laugh pierced the forest and she knew it.

Zelena appeared in a puff of green smoke, her smile taunting and all three women and the fairy froze in their place. "Oh," she chuckled, "don't mind me. I just came by for a chat. Long time."

"I know what you did to our sisters," Glinda said, her voice mostly steady as she squared her shoulders.

"You told me once that when I took the pendant that my life would be tied to it. I needed theirs and I couldn't have them coming back for it, now could I?"

"You were once better than this, Zelena."

The green skinned woman's face scrunched up in a scowl. "Until you betrayed me, just like everyone else."

"We didn't betray you. You went after an innocent girl that had done you no wrong. You've always been so fixated on what you don't have that you fail to see what you have right in front of you."

"How did you know that we were here?" Mary Margaret demanded, her bow in her hand now and aimed at the witch.

The taunting smile returned. "You don't keep your secrets quite as well as you'd like to think."

"Rumplestiltskin told you," Blue said and Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but Zelena's next words made her stop.

"Not directly."

Blue and Glinda exchanged a worried look and Emma felt any of the warmth that the magic had brought on replaced instantly with a cold fear. Gold had always been a manipulator, but she'd thought - perhaps incorrectly so - that he wouldn't have put she and her mother directly into harm's way. Perhaps if it had just been Blue... But he'd known they were going with her, and it hadn't been until they'd decided to fetch Glinda for the battle that he'd finally given to David's requests. She hadn't thought anything about it at the time other than that he'd simply been tired of saying no to something he probably knew he'd be roped into anyway, and Neal had been so determined that his dad knew what he was doing and that he had all the pieces of the puzzle worked out just right. And worst of all, if Rumplestiltskin had set them up, it was going to break Henry's heart. He'd gotten so close to him since the former Dark One had made sure his grandson had passage through to the Enchanted Forest.

"No," Blue said tightly, "he never does anything directly, does he?"

The fairy might have been moving to restrain the witch to the best of her ability, but she didn't have a chance. Zelena's dark magic wrapped around them, holding them in place just as it had when she'd stopped their transport from the Forbidden Fortress to the Dark Castle. Mary Margaret had her arrow ready to send flying, but it had never made it before the spell took hold and it looked like neither Blue nor Glinda could break free. Zelena tutted as she moved towards the woman that had perhaps once been her friend. "Pan seems to think I'm making a mistake by coming here. He thinks his son's pulling a clever little trick, but do you know what I think?"

"No one really cares," Emma snapped, trying to draw her attention away from the woman whose broach she was after. Gold may have double-crossed them - surprise, surprise - but she didn't doubt him when he'd spoken of how dangerous the woman would be if she somehow obtain all four stones.

"Quiet now, savior. Wait your turn," Zelena growled, turning back to Glinda. "I think that Rumple's slipping. He let that pretty little thing in his head and now he can't control the board quite like he used to. Too bad that he taught me well."

"You can't change the past, Zelena, only your future. You can still make the right choice. You can _choose_ to be good."

"You see, that's the thing. To get what I want, I really can't." She plunged her hand deeply into the other witch's chest, Glinda's eyes going wide as she pulled her heart from it while Blue shouted uselessly. The smile never left her painted lips as she squeezed, the heart cracking and splintering like a glass figuring held too tightly in someone's grasp. Glinda let out a small sound before she dropped, her heart nothing more than dust in Zelena's hand that the wind carried away. Regina's elder sister bent down over the Good Witch of the South's lifeless body and reached for the broach. Her fingers touched it, but as they did magic sparked through the air and it disappeared, flashing out of existence.

Emma huffed out a laugh at the look of utter shock that crossed Zelena's features and she whirled on her. "You!"

"Hate to break it to you, but that wasn't me. Wish it had been though."

Zelena stalked up to her, leaning in so that she was close enough that the younger woman could almost feel the hatred radiating off of her. "Oh, it was you, but you may not have been the source. He just used you to sneak the spell in. You were right, little fairy. Rumple never is straightforward. It's a sad day for you, though, savior. It looks like Glinda wasn't his only sacrifice."

Gold's words from the day before snapped back into place in her mind. She was more powerful than she gave herself credit for. He'd _known_. He _had_ set this up, but he'd set it up so that they'd win. She didn't know if she hated him or felt something oddly akin to respect for him at that moment, but it only took one look at her mom and the warmth began to flow through her again. She needed to protect those she loved.

"Sorry," Emma answered, her magic working to rip apart Zelena's holding spell, "but did you really think it's going to be that easy?"

The witch seemed to realize something was happening, but it was too late. Emma's magic hit her hard, fueled by the love she felt for those she wanted to protect. She didn't think it was purely light magic, because there was a fair amount of anger in there too, but there was enough to burn and Zelena stumbled back, screaming as the steam rolled off of her, and when she seemed to steady herself at least a little, Emma hit her again. "Listen, you psycho bitch, I don't care if Rumplestiltskin had anything to do with this or not. You're dealing with me. I won't let you get that pendant, you're not keeping my mom's castle, and you're not getting your hands on my son. Got it?"

Zelena's face contorted into that terrible pout and she pulled back, her skin still sizzling even as she disappeared. Emma turned her steely gaze on Blue. "We need to go help the others, but if we're going to win, you let _us_ handle Gold."

"Very well," Blue said and they were gone in a sprinkling of fairy dust.

* * *

"I thought the reason they brought you along was so that things like _this_ didn't happen," Maleficent growled as she dodged an attack that Zelena's protections had left behind. They weren't nearly as strong as they could have been without the witch actually there, but her power coupled with both Pan's and the two stones that she did actually possessed was causing more than a little trouble. Monkeys sprang up, magical portals opened and tossed people away, and various other types of wards were put into place. It wasn't that the sorcerers amongst them couldn't detect them, it was that those without magic seemed determined to barrel ahead and set them off. "Did you even _look_ before we came here?"

"No one said you had to stick around, dearie," Rumplestiltskin snapped back as he froze a monkey mid-air, sending it spiralling back through the trees and out of sight. He spun around, a magical shield blocking a fireball that had come out of nowhere and he hit yet another screeching creature with a particularly nasty curse, watching as it disintegrated into a pile of ash on the forest floor.

"Rumplestiltskin, can't you change them back like you did Hook?" David called over and the sorcerer snorted.

The sorcerer shoved the irritation down hard, trying to look past it, but it didn't keep the bite out of his voice. "It never ceases to amaze me how many times you people try to simply ignore the price of magic." He dodged, feeling the price of the quick fix on his ankle as it twinged, but it was holding. He'd bought himself at least some time with the week and half between injuring it and spelling beck together. "Just because _you_ don't know what it is -" he flicked his hand, two monkeys colliding into each other and falling to the ground in tangled limbs and tails that likely wouldn't be free for hours - "doesn't mean someone won't have to pay it. Nothing comes for free, dearie."

He turned, eyes widening as a monkey reached out for him, claws poised to rip at flesh, but it fell before it could reach him, an arrow protruding out of its back. Baelfire stood a few yards away with a lopsided smirk. "All magic comes with a price. Thanks, Pop. We hadn't heard."

Belle's pleasant laugh met his ears from where she'd loosed a trap she and Ruby had just set and a net captured several monkeys at once.

"Shouldn't your wife have been back with that damn fairy by now?" Regina called towards Charming. She and Robin were back to back, his arrows flying as quickly as her magic, and they seemed to be working surprisingly well together for the rocky start they'd begun with.

"We don't know how long it'll take Emma to undo that holding spell," Bae pointed out and Regina snorted.

"We could be here for days before they show up."

"Days? Really?" a new voice sounded and Emma Swan was glaring at her magic instructor almost as soon as they appeared in a flurry of fairy dust. The blonde did not look happy and Rumplestiltskin found her shifting her cold gaze towards him.

"Where's Glinda?" David asked, his sword - enchanted for just such an occasion - stopping a magical attack that would have left him writhing on the ground.

"Dead," Snow answered tightly. "Emma defeated Zelena, though. This _can_ be won."

"You were supposed to go back to the Dark Castle."

Snow blinked innocently at her husband before loosing an arrow that pinned a monkey to a tree. "Was I?"

"Zelena's not dead or her spells would have unraveled by now," Rumplestiltskin pointed out, his eyes traveling skywards, looking for signs of Pan. He'd known Emma could do it and that if she would allow herself that she would do it. Sometimes all Storybrooke's savior needed was a push in the right direction and she could get the job done.

"No, but Glinda is most certainly dead," Blue snapped and the former Dark One leveled a glare at her.

"Now really isn't the time to be leveling your accusations all over again, is it, dearie?"

The fairy met his glare with one of her own, but she didn't matter. Not right now. His dark eyes moved up again, still searching until he found what he was sure he'd see. That was the sign. His father had never cared much for games he couldn't win, and there was no way he would win this one if he touched the ground anywhere near them. Regina's castle meant more to Zelena than it did to her impish cohort anyway, and he had no care to lose his life over its keeping.

Without either master there to control them, the wards and spells that were making their advance troublesome weakened considerably and Rumplestiltskin tugged hard on the various loose strings he'd been collecting from them. They unravelled, monkeys falling and flames dispersing into the air in the forms of smoke. The chaos ended abruptly and he let out a shaky breath, turning to make sure everyone was still in one piece. Bae was watching the end of the battle with a look that said he wasn't quite willing to believe it and Belle had turned to him, still standing close enough to the wolf that Ruby's eyes were on him as well. Charming and Snow were whole, the dark haired princess having escaped the event with Zelena without a scratch, and Emma was stalking towards him now. "Are we done?"

"Yes, your troops should have a clear pathway now. The castle will be empty," he answered after a moment. His mind was still so wrapped around the future - making sure that the words he was saying in the present were still accurate and that no small change, no sidestep by some nobody had shifted everything - that he didn't see the blow coming until it was too late. His magic kept him on his feet, but pain blossomed across the side of his face where Emma had laid a fairly solid blow, softened only by a very hastily thrown up guard that certainly hadn't kept her from connecting.

"Emma!" Charming called out to her. "What-"

"You better have a damn good explanation, Gold," she growled at him, looking like she might rear back for another blow and Rumplestiltskin took a step back.

"I'm sure he does, dear, though how much truth is in it remains to be seen," Blue answered haughtily.

"This really is not the time nor place," Rumple said as he motioned to the troops waiting for an order. He turned his gaze on David, Snow, and then Regina. "If you want the castle that you were all so eager to get back, I'd suggest you take it now, otherwise you will lose your window of opportunity and all of this will have been for nothing."

Charming met his expression carefully, obviously at a loss as to what his daughter and wife were so angry about, but he finally nodded. "Go," he told his general.

"David, you can't possibly put your faith in him now," Blue argued. "He-"

"His son and Belle are both here. He wouldn't risk their safety. Whatever happened, we'll deal with it, but for now Rumplestiltskin has earned enough of my trust to last until we get to a place where this can be worked out and we can make sure all the facts come to light."

The Blue Fairy bristled, but didn't argue with him.

"Papa, what's going on?" Bae's voice sounded from behind him and Rumple turned.

"Bae," he whispered, feeling the first pulls of uncertainty. Not in his actions, but in his son's own reaction to them. He reached a hand out to him, even as the younger man's brows knit in confusion and worry. "Whatever happens, whatever they say, I need you to trust me, son. Do you trust me, Bae?"

Turmoil raged behind dark eyes, but Baelfire took his hand. "Yeah, Papa. I trust you," he swore and Rumplestiltskin offered him a strained smile. He thought he could stay above water in all of this, but he'd need Bae and Belle by his side. As long as he had them, he could face anything.

* * *

TBC

Notes: Next time - Maurice is found to be amongst the missing and Rumplestiltskin's fate is decided.


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

**Chapter Twenty-One.**

Sometimes there was no good path to follow. He didn't like to believe that - Bae had jokingly called him the King of Loopholes at one point since they'd come back - but life had taught him that hard truth. It was rotten and sometimes - most of the time - it required difficult decisions to be made. That was one of the reasons why they kept him around, he wagered, because he would make those difficult decision, but he'd be damned if he ever understood why he always seemed to be _blamed_ for them when everything came to light.

Rumplestiltskin pushed back the headache that continued to creep around behind his eyes and tried to focus on his task at hand. There was nothing he could do about what had happened, only what would happen, and he'd managed to get his side of things in as well as could be expected around the Blue Fairy's accusations. The point, in the end, was that Glinda was fated to die in every version of the future he'd found and that he'd simply turned her death into a way to keep the others alive. Most people would have been grateful that he'd saved their lives, but apparently the hero-types were just too _good_ for that sort of thing. They were deciding his own fate now. Not that they'd dared to call it that, of course, but they were making their own difficult choices on if they would continue to align with the former Dark One or if they would break ties. Blue, of course, had called to jail him for his heinous crime, as she was framing it it, but that had caused its own disruption. There had been those that feared Rumplestiltskin's wrath at the attempt that would surely fail - it was good to know that even without his curse he still could instill a fair amount of fear within some - and a few that had recalled all the ways that he'd helped them, even if they couldn't stand by him now that he'd been involved in all of this.

The debate was still raging somewhere downstairs, but Rumple had walled himself off in his work tower. He couldn't handle the sound of the ignorant ideas or their absurd theories. They'd decide what they would, but in the end he knew they really were deciding his fate. If they chose to break away that would take the Charmings to their newly claimed castle - the one that he'd just helped them win back and that Regina was currently securing along with her thief - and with them Emma. That within itself didn't matter as much to him as the fact that where Emma went, so went Bae and Henry. The castle would be quiet again without his son seeking his advice - wasn't _that_ a turn of events? - or his chance to teach his grandson magic. He and Belle would remain, absolutely secluded and unable to help those they loved.

Belle. Rumplestiltskin loosed a long breath out through his nose as he turned back to the project that both allowed him to be somewhat useful in his current state of limbo and distracted his mind from why he was there in the first place. After the battle had ended they had counted their injured and their dead. It had been a moment that he'd dreaded since speaking with Maurice and the visions that tried so desperately to get through, and he still had no relief. They'd found many people had gone missing, likely flung to all parts of the kingdom through magical traps and pitfalls. Some may have even been carried off by or turned into monkeys. It was difficult to say, and now that he was willing to look, his visions had gone haywire again, as if he'd stretched his powers just a bit too far, and he couldn't catch a hold of the one that had wanted so badly to get through before. Maurice was missing and Belle was devastated. He, of course, could do little, as the one thing that the others seemed to be in agreement on was the fact that he should remain a prisoner in his own castle until a decision was made.

The tracking spell that he'd been working on was simple, but necessary for finding those that had gone missing. He pulled a beaker from the flame and poured it in with the rest of the potion, watching smoke billow up and pour out of the top. It sat and while he waited he tried to reach again, finding the future fragmented and so scattered that did him little good. It wasn't as if it didn't exist at all, but he certainly couldn't make any sense of it.

"Grandpa?"

Rumplestiltskin startled, whirling around and nearly toppling off his seat at the sound of the voice. He'd closed down his tower tighter than usual, keeping anyone that desperately needed to speak with him at the bottom to call up to him. Henry had slipped through, as the blood magic had allowed, and stood uncertainly at the top of the stairs. A pang of guilt laced through the sorcerer as he realized that he hadn't sought the boy out upon his return or even after the terrible explanation that had done him little to no good. Someone must have explained it to him, and Rumple could only hope that it had been Bae or Emma and not that damned fairy that wanted nothing less than to tuck him away in his old cell for the rest of his days.

"Hey, Henry," he greeted after a moment, swallowing down the guilt and offering a strained smile instead.

His grandson tried to return the smile, but it never quite made it and instead he settled for pulling over a stool and plopping himself down on it. Grandfather and grandson sat there for a few moments, watching each other as the motion set to the side until it was ready for use. Finally, Henry's eyes wandered too it. "That's going to help Belle find her dad, isn't it?"

The question brought a true smile from Rumplestiltskin. "I hope so."

"You don't like Moe… Sir Maurice very much, do you? Emma'd never tell me the whole story, but I know you and he got into a fight at least once. She put you in jail. You remember?"

"Yes, of course," Rumple murmured softly. He remembered the rage he'd felt towards a man that he was certain had been the death of Belle. Even once he'd found out that she was, in fact, alive, the grudge had stuck between them and it was only in the last conversation that they'd had that they'd begun to grow something close to civil. "But he is Belle's father."

"Guess that means he gets a pass then, huh?" Henry asked and that curious gaze was swiveled back around on him. It wasn't a vision, per se, but in that moment Rumplestiltskin felt a fear settle inside of him that threatened to claw its way up. He wasn't ready to let his family go. Not yet.

"Indeed."

"Grandpa? If Gramps and the others decide to go… can I stay here with you?"

This brought Rumplestiltskin's attention fully onto that moment and he blinked owlishly at the boy. "If David decides to go, I fear your mother and father will go as well," he said slowly.

"I know, but I was kind of thinking that you could work something up that would let me go in between. You know, like the teleportation spell you put on Belle's necklace so she could help look for her dad when Blue said you couldn't go. I could just sort of bounce back and forth." He paused, almost as if he were waiting for a confirmation, and when he didn't receive it his lips twitched downward just a little. "I mean… if you want me here."

"Henry, I'd like nothing better," his grandfather swore.

"Dad'd come too. He doesn't want to go either. He said he just got you back and that we should stick together if we're going to win."

A warmth settled into Rumplestiltskin's chest. "Your father said that?"

"Yeah, but we don't know what they've decided yet. Blue won't let Dad in and she kicked Mom out because she said that she'd just tell Dad. They've been in there for _hours_. I don't know what's taking them so long."

"Nor do I."

"It'll be okay. Gramps trusts you, even if he doesn't like what happened. He's loyal."

Rumplestiltskin sighed. "Sometimes loyalty isn't enough, Henry, but I hope you're right."

"I am. You'll see. They won't split our family up." He paused, rocking back on the stool he was seated on. "Grandpa? Can you teach me some magic while we wait?"

The sorcerer chuckled, ruffling the boy's hair. "I think now would be a perfect time to work on it."

* * *

He'd promised to trust him, but damn it all if he wasn't making that very difficult right now. It wasn't like his father had had the time to sit down and explain what he'd done after it had happened and before he spoke to everyone, but Bae was working very hard not to focus on the fact that he could have said something _before_ everything went down. He knew his papa would have every excuse in the worlds as to why he hadn't. He didn't want Bae to talk him out of it or he'd thought that divulging the plan would throw something off - which, if Baelfire were honest with himself, was the most likely excuse his father would give - or any number of reasons. It didn't matter because his papa _hadn't_ told him and they had to deal with whatever came at them from that point on.

Bae had been on his way to get the answers when he'd heard that Belle had returned - making use of a teleportation charm Rumplestiltskin had provided her with - and had detoured to find her looking much more put out than he'd hoped. "No news?" he guessed, hoping it was that rather than bad news.

Belle's lips thinned and she shook her head. "None yet. We're still looking."

"I bet he just got tossed like a few of the others we've come across. He'll be fine, Belle."

"I don't suppose…"

"If he's Seen anything, he hasn't told me." He paused, taking a moment to really look at her. He'd thought that the hours that had passed since the battle - leading them so deep into the night that it might as well have been the next day - had been rough in the Dark Castle, but Belle hadn't even had a chance to clean the mud from her leather coat or out of her hair. There was no blood on her, of course, as the pendant she wore around her neck kept her perfectly safe from harm, and Bae was certain that's the only reason his father had grit his teeth and told her that she should join the search for Maurice. It hadn't been what he wanted, his son knew, but it had been what Belle needed and he had to credit him for that. She looked exhausted now, with a hollowness in her eyes that was very foreign. "Listen, at first light, why don't I go back out with you and we'll start again?" he offered, watching her try to smile.

"Your papa needs you here. One of us needs to be."

There was guilt lacing her tone and Bae grimaced. "He'd be out with you if he could."

"I know, but if there's any hopes of keeping this alliance together he can't. He's been working on a tracking potion for me. That's actually why I'm here."

"You look like you could use some rest."

"I'll never be able to sleep. It's best I just get the potion, check on Rumple, and go back to looking." She paused, her gaze turning very meaningful. "If he were lost, what would you stop at to find him?"

"Nothing," came the answer without hesitation and it startled him a little, but he could see that it had also made her point rather nicely. "Well, I was on my way up there."

"Shall we then?" his father's fiance asked pleasantly and turned, but she stopped mid-step, her eyes fixated at the end of the hallway where a man was moving forward. He was tall and dark skinned. His stance was every bit that of a military man and he wore the uniform that Bae had seen many of David's men don to go into battle. Belle seemed to recognize him, but he nearly barreled right past them until she called out a name. "Alexander?"

He paused and turned, an apology already tumbling off his lips for a person that perhaps he should have known and greeted however briefly, but when his dark eyes came to rest on Belle they widened a fraction and he stood stiffly. "You."

A small smile touched her lips, though it didn't hold the usual warmth that Bae had seen when she greeted an old friend that she hadn't seen since before the curse. This one was rather sad and it didn't seem to have anything to do with her missing father or the fact that a committee of people was currently deciding if they believed her True Love to be a traitor or not.

"I suppose you would be here," the man said at last, his voice careful and guarded.

"I _do_ live here," she answered softly and turned her attention to Bae when he cleared his throat awkwardly. Her face darkened just a little and she motioned between them. "Baelfire, this is Alexander."

"I've heard that name," Alexander said carefully, his gaze shifting to Bae. "You're _his_ son."

That brought a snort of a laugh from him, despite the hostility in the words. "You mean Rumplestiltskin's? Yeah, I am. I'm going to guess you didn't have the most pleasant of run ins with my dad?"

"He killed my brother."

Bae glanced over to Belle, and while the story appeared to pull some unpleasant memories forward, she didn't waver. "That's not exactly how it happened," she said slowly, as if tasting her words as she spoke them to make sure that they were indeed the ones she meant to be heard.

There was definitely a story there, Baelfire knew, but with the way that Alexander was bristling it was one to be heard outside of his earshot. "I don't think I've seen you around, so if you're looking for David you're going to want to take this hallway down to where it bears right and you'll find the room they're in just at the end of the hallway there. You'll want to make sure not to get off that path though. The castle kind of has a mind of its own… and a twisted sense of humour."

Alexander cast him a weary look, but nodded. "Thank you," was all he said and turned on heel, leaving Bae and Belle in his wake. From the way that Belle exhaled, though, perhaps it was good that nothing worse had come from the meeting.

Without warning, Belle started walking, and moved to a door that Bae was certain hadn't been there when they'd stopped. "We met Alexander and his elder brother when I worked for your father. His brother was very angry with Rumple over something and had cast a curse over the little town that used to be at the bottom of the mountain to trap him there without magic. They nearly managed to kill him before he broke the curse, but it rebounded on the elder brother, leaving Alexander alive and… quite angry. From what Rumple has said, he actually became his jailer during the time just before the Dark Curse was cast."

"Guess there are two sides to every story," Bae murmured after a moment as the castle delivered them at the bottom of the work tower stairs.

Belle gave him a small smile. "Rumple made sure he lived because he said he was important to his curse, but really, I think it's because Alexander refused to harm me."

That sounded about right from his papa. Rumplestiltskin never liked to admit his motives, or at least rarely, because if too many of them came out into the open the strings wouldn't match up at all the right times. As they started up the stairs, the wards giving way for Bae, he decided that he could disagree with his actions without being angry at his father. They'd spent too many years living in anger already.

* * *

While Snow had been raised to lead, David had learned through immediate necessity. He was not a diplomat, even if he'd learned to curb his more blunt nature in favour of diplomacy over the years. It was the only thing that had saved him in the long and drawn out discussion with his wife's patron fairy and the others that had taken their places as leaders in this alliance against Zelena and Pan and it was the only thing, in the end, that had kept the room civil. Snow had finally listened to him some hours before - for the sake of their unborn child - and had turned in, leaving David to wade through the troubled waters alone. Even Emma had been turned out, a request that he'd very reluctantly dealt with.

The decision had finally been made after much debate on all issues involved. Curse or no curse, some said, Rumplestiltskin still posed many of the same threats he did while under his curse and to align with him had been folly from the beginning. David had disagreed, as aligning with the former Dark One had brought his daughter and his grandson through when Regina had reversed her curse and had saved his and several others' lives when George had betrayed them. Thankfully, Philip and Thomas hadn't forgotten that and he thought that it might have been what saved them from rushing into thoroughly foolish endeavor of trying to lock him away somewhere. That and the fact that doing so while within his castle would be just shy of suicide.

They'd reached a compromise, or at least that's what they'd called it. Blue didn't think it was harsh enough and David thought it was too much, but that didn't really matter at this point. He was not the only vote that counted around the table and they needed troops to win against their enemies. If there was one thing that he and Rumplestiltskin could always agree on, it was that sacrifices were made for family.

That didn't make the discussion that he was about to walk into any easier, of course.

Philip had offered to speak to the sorcerer, but David had instantly declined. If it must be done, he would be the one to do it. He'd meant to go straight from the meeting to Rumplestiltskin's tower where he was certain the other man would be, but between Blue wanting to continue on after the decision was made and Alexander showing up to alert them that the castle had been secured, he'd been delayed over an hour. Now, though, he found himself at the base of the stairs that circled up to the work room and he couldn't go any further. An invisible wall had stopped him, not allowing him to take even the first step up. He'd never had a reason to approach any of the rooms that Rumplestiltskin had sealed off using blood magic, but the waiting spell sent a strange chill through him, as if to convey that he was not welcome.

"David?"

David looked up to see Belle leaning just around the last place that the staircase curved before it hit the bottom stretch. He hadn't even known she was back, but she looked exhausted. "Hey. I'm looking for Rumplestiltskin."

"He's up here." She leaned back around and called up. "Rumple, David's here. Let him in?"

There was some grousing from above, but the spell shimmered, making the wall visible to the naked eye for just a moment before fading back out of sight. He stared at it, wondering if that was supposed to mean something to him and Belle motioned for him to follow.

He did so hesitantly, finding that he could step through where he could not moments before and he followed her up the stairs. Rumplestiltskin was seated at his workbench with Neal perched up on the deep windowsill. Henry looked to have dozed off while visiting and was curled up on what might have been a cot conjured up just for him, curled beneath a blanket to keep the chill out. He looked so peaceful and David felt a pang of regret lace through him.

"Made your decision, have you?"

Not his, David wanted to say, but he knew that they had to stand together on this. "Yes."

Belle took a seat next to him and the former Dark One wrapped an arm around his fiance as she leaned into him. "I will warn you, David, that if you're here to try to drag me back to some prison that you think might hold me-"

"I wouldn't have stood by that," the blond prince answered quickly. "You've done too much to help us. We all see that."

"Most of you," Rumplestiltskin corrected him and they both knew to whom he was referring.

"All but one, really," David concurred. He pulled in a deep breath, looking around. "There's no easy way to say this, because I know how you're going to see it. Hell, I'd see it the same way if I were in your shoes-"

"Your little alliance splits or all of you ban together and leave me here, is that what it boiled down to?"

"Surely not," Belle cut in.

"I'm afraid that is the decision that's been made. While we agree that you've been helpful in our efforts, you've openly admitted that you manipulated the situation to use a good woman's death to your advantage."

"And yours, by the way. You were among the body count in more than one of the possible futures, Charming, don't forget that."

David grimaced at the nickname. It had caught on after Snow had begun to call him that, but he had never heard the name leave Rumplestiltskin's lips without a fair amount of sarcasm accompanying it. "A woman is still dead."

"A woman that would have been dead anyway. I simply used something that would happen no matter what and made sure other terrible things didn't happen, yet _I'm_ the monster for it." He stood and David wasn't sure that the temperature didn't drop a few degrees. His words were certainly icy enough. "Do you know what I think, _Charming_? I think you lot need people like Regina and I that are willing to think outside of your little constructed box. You need us to do the things you're not willing to do."

"Rumplestiltskin-"

"Not finished yet, dearie," the former Dark One snapped, and while Belle and Neal were watching him warily, neither moved to stop him. "You need us to do your dirty work as much as you need that damn fairy's approval. I have no doubt that when she's not willing to do what needs to be done to keep the lot of you alive - and likely it'll be after several of you are dead and gone by that point - you'll come crawling back to me for help."

"We can't just continue on as if nothing happened."

"You're right. You won your castle back. Congratulations. Happy now?"

David let out a sharp breath and tried not to look too directly into the elder man's eyes. It was strange, but he thought that those darker, more human eyes could give off a more intense look than the reptilian ones ever had. The man that stood before him was most certainly not the Dark One any longer. He'd fought with them, he'd shed blood and suffered injuries, and now they were tossing him aside. He wasn't wrong, and David knew it, but those that said they could not look past his actions were not wrong either and this had been the best solution that all parties could live with. Well, most parties.

"I know that you feel-"

"You don't know what I feel," Rumplestiltskin cut him off sharply, his voice louder than it had been and all eyes immediately turned to the slumbering boy on the cot. He stirred, but didn't rouse fully into wakefulness. When he spoke again, the sorcerer's voice was controlled. "You don't know anything, but you think you do. That'll get you into trouble."

"Papa," Neal said softly from his spot.

"I'm not taking your family away from you, Rumplestiltskin," David breathed out, his words so rushed that the elder man couldn't have jumped in the middle of them if he'd wanted to.

"Aren't you? Tell me, will my grandson be staying here?"

"He'll go home with his mother."

"Of course he will. Tell me, Charming, how well have you thought this through? Without Regina to transport you over the distance, you'll be covering it on foot. Now, I know there's not just a great distance between here and Regina's castle, but there is some, including a trip down and through the mountain. Zelena is after Henry and I wouldn't count Pan out of wanting his heart either. You'll make him a target and an easy one at that."

"We'll protect him."

Rumplestiltskin snorted. "So I see you've thought it through about as well as you did the battle to take the castle."

"Which worked out," David countered.

"Because of _me_!"

The prince wasn't sure if Belle and Neal were holding their tongues because they agreed or simply because they thought it best to get all of this out in the open. It really didn't matter, the other man's sharp tone was slowly chipping away at the uncertainty that David had felt towards this decision and he stole a glance back to their mutual grandson. "I would protect Henry with my life," he swore. "We know she doesn't have all the stones and you have said it yourself that without them she'd be a fool to try to cast the spell with just him, so unless you've Seen something, I'd suggest you stop trying to use him to get what you want."

Rumplestiltskin went stiff at the words, dark eyes focused in entirely on the younger man and David straightened his shoulders.

"Have you Seen anything?" David pressed.

"No." The word was sharp and tense as it left his mouth, just as his posture was, but there was a flash of something in his eyes and David thought it looked like something akin to betrayal.

"We'll be leaving within the next few days," David said, his voice a little softer. "Neal, you're welcome to come along, of course, but I understand if you stay."

"I'll let you know," Rumplestiltskin's son answered carefully.

"Of course." No one stopped him for any further words as he turned to leave and all David could think about was how poorly suited he was for the political dance. He knew that what had been done had been needed, but he couldn't shake the look that Rumplestiltskin had given him. The man hid behind more masks and more walls than anyone he'd ever met, yet the young prince feared that that had been truth shining through. He did feel betrayed, and he wondered what that would mean for their ragtag little family further down the line.

* * *

TBC

Notes: I'm really glad this is going up this evening because I've been running around like crazy all day. Usually I have more time to write than I did and get the editing done during my lunchtime at work. Not today apparently.

Next time - Henry tries to find a way to stay, Belle hears news about her father, and Rumple receives a very unwelcome guest.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-two.**

If there was one truth he'd always known, it was that there was a price to every action under the sun. The price for using Glinda's death to his advantage, though, seemed rather steep. He'd used a death that was out of his control and had turned it so that it could stop the deaths of half a dozen people that he knew specifically and likely many more that were fighting that he didn't know. He wasn't sure why that warranted such a terrible price. It had been four days since the decision had been made and they were set to leave on the next morning and he still couldn't See a damned thing about the journey.

_You don't have to, _the seer's voice seemed to whisper in his mind. _You know what will come to pass._

"I can count the number of times I've seen you drink on one hand, Papa."

Rumplestiltskin turned around, the motion making his head spin a little and Baelfire stood at the door that led from the balcony back into his and Belle's room. His son would be going with them in the morning and he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd never see him again if he left. Fate was a terrible thing and it was time to face theirs. That didn't mean he had to face it with any sort of dignity. No, he'd already been dragged into it kicking and screaming. Now, on the eve of it all, he didn't have anything left to fight with and he'd found himself shutting everyone that he could out so that he could at least be miserable in quiet, if not in peace.

"Your mother drank enough for both of us," Rumple answered without meaning to, mentally kicking himself for it as soon as the words had left his mouth. He really didn't drink often and certainly not since his curse had been broken. It had barely had an effect on him as the Dark One, but now… Well, it would appear that he'd either consumed more than he'd thought or that his very human body had a very low tolerance.

Bae, though, only chuckled and moved out onto the ledge. "You mind?" he asked and plopped into the chair next to him, reclining back and bracing the heels of his boots against the banister in a lazy sort of manner, as if nothing out of the ordinary were happening. Another glass appeared in a flash of magic and he took it nodding his thanks and poured himself a drink. "This," he said as he took a long sip, "may be the most honest I'll ever see you."

"I'm honest with you, Bae," his father said immediately.

"Most of the time. If you're honest with yourself first."

Rumplestiltskin snorted at the grin his son wore, but he didn't bother arguing the point. "What is it you want to know?" he asked after a moment. If these truly wore his last moments with his son, he'd be damned if he'd hide a thing from him.

"Well that's an opening few get," Baelfire teased.

"That one gets," Rumple corrected and unfolded himself from the chair.

Bae's expression softened. "You know this isn't forever, right, Papa? I'm not... We're not abandoning you." His son had chosen that word carefully, Rumplestiltskin knew, as they both were fully aware of the depth it held. Bae was looking at him now and the teasing tone had faded away, his eyes trying to catch his papa's. "You _do_ know that, right?"

"Of course, Bae."

The younger man shifted and his feet were flat against the ground again. The chair made a small sound as he turned, elbows leaned against his knees and he watched his father carefully. "I'm not leaving you, Papa. I'm coming back. I just have to make sure my son makes it there safely."

He knew that, really he did, but Rumplestiltskin didn't want his son and grandson to face this alone. If he could control the situation, if he could just _be_ there to make sure they were safe, he could have slept for the nights between when Charming had delivered the news and now. Instead he'd been left with his own fears and his own dread without even his visions to help balance it out and provide reassurances that he so desperately needed right now. He couldn't go with them - the Blue Fairy had seen quite well to _that_ - and he couldn't find any steady images to cling to.

"You're still thinking about what you Saw, aren't you?" Bae asked softly. "About me dying."

"Of course I am."

"And you still can't See anything about tomorrow?"

Rumplestiltskin shook his head, taking another sip from his drink and feeling it burn down his throat. He'd always hated the taste of liquor, but by this point he just didn't care. "No. It's all a jumble."

"Belle thinks you might have stretched yourself too far."

"It's possible. I'm still not entirely sure of every limit I have."

"Exactly."

The sorcerer tilted his head in question and his son shot him a grin. It was bright, and the utter optimism in his voice made his heart ache just a little. "You don't know your limits, so you have no way to be certain this is what you saw. Anyway, you said your visions have been telling you that you screwed with fate, right? That means fate can be changed, Papa. Henry and I will be fine and I'll be back before you know it. Might even be able to convince David that he's making a mistake."

Rumplestiltskin offered his son a strained smile. "Thank you, Bae," he managed, taking the hand that was offered to him. He spoke slowly and carefully, making sure to meet his son's eyes as fingers tightened around his own. "I know you're not abandoning me, Bae. I know... I know you need to protect Henry. I can understand that, at least, and if you don't come back -"

"Nothing's going to happen to us, Papa."

"If you _choose_ to stay with your son," his father amended, "I could hardly blame you."

"I'm coming back to you, Papa," Bae swore and Rumple wondered if he looked as miserable as he felt. Bae leaned in, their foreheads touching and they remained there for a moment, the stress of everything that was happening around them barreling in and threatening to crush them.

"I know," came the whispered response.

His son straightened, his eyes fixed on Rumple. "Why don't you give me something to take with me so that I can just pop right back. Like the necklace of Belle's that you charmed so that she could get back here quickly when she's out looking for her dad."

Rumplestiltskin straightened a bit, never letting go of his son's hand as he met his gaze.

"That way you don't have to worry about me walking back. You can cut down the panic at least by half," Bae continued, his tone light and teasing, but he certainly wasn't wrong in the idea.

"Do you have anything on you that's special to you?"

"Right now?"

"Well, you are leaving the in morning," his father pointed out and Bae rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. This." He pulled a chain from his pocket and Rumplestiltskin watched it shake loose, the swan pendant at the end pulling the kinks out as it fell. "It's Emma's. Well, it was. She pretty much threw it at me in New York when you guys came to find me. I just hadn't had a chance to get it back to her yet… Right moments are hard to come by here."

"Indeed they are," his papa chuckled and took the necklace from him. "This will do nicely."

"It's not going to toss her to some random place when I give it back to her, will it?'

"No. I'll tie it through blood magic so that it won't affect her." The necklace shimmered in his palm and he offered it back. "Now you may return when you wish."

"Thanks, Pop," Bae said as he took it and put it carefully back into his pocket. Without warning he shifted he stood and Rumple had barely made his way to his feet as well before the younger man wrapped his arms around his father.

"Bae?"

Baelfire clung hard and Rumplestiltskin carefully returned the embrace. He felt as if one wrong move might shatter it, but wanted nothing more than to hold him close. His son inhaled shaily in his ear. "We'll be okay, Papa."

"Of course, Bae."

"All of us. You too. I'm not letting you go."

Rumplestiltskin didn't dare trust his own voice in that moment, so he tightened his grip and smiled into his son's shoulder. If fate could be changed, they would change it. They had to. They'd come too far not to.

* * *

Belle had received an urgent message that evening via dove that had alerted her that the search party had finally found a lead through Rumplestiltskin's tracking spell. She'd used it on a ring that her father had given her - a family heirloom that he'd worn all the days of her life - as they set out for battle. When he'd given it to her, he had looked ready to beg her one more time to stay behind, but she'd kissed him on the cheek and wished him luck, telling him that nothing bad could happen to him. He had to be there to give her away at her wedding. She would accept nothing less from her papa.

She'd been torn when the message arrived, scribbled in Ruby's hand and telling her she was needed. The others were leaving out at first light the next day, but Rumple had urged her to go. He didn't want her to, she knew, but he'd encouraged her with a strained smile and so much love in his eyes that she'd kissed him and promised to be there to see the others off. She wouldn't leave him alone in that castle. She couldn't.

Thin fingers played with the necklace that had transported her to the little town that had taken the search party days to get to. She'd arrived in a matter of seconds, her fiance's magic whisking her away and redepositing her where she needed to be. Ruby looked up from where she'd been speaking with Grumpy and offered her a bright smile. "Hey, you made it. They're leaving out tomorrow, right?"

"They are."

"I'm surprised Rumplestiltskin let you come," Grumpy groused and Belle offered him a smile.

"He told me I should. He knows how important my father is to me. Speaking of…"

"It was good news. Sorry to be so cryptic. I wanted to let you know as soon as possible, but we have some others that didn't get off as easily as he did."

"Do they need anything? Rumple has potions for nearly every kind of hurt or ill…"

"We might. Not sure yet."

"Not sure we can afford it," the dwarf at her side muttered, but was thoroughly ignored..

"We're still taking inventory here, but we'll let you know." Ruby offered her a smile and a quick hug that Belle readily returned. "He's in here."

The fact that her father had not been there to greet her told Belle that he likely hadn't gotten away completely unscathed by the battle so she wasn't too surprised when she found him lying in a bed. He was sitting up, though, arm bandaged and in a sling close to his body and he smiled when she entered. "Belle."

"Papa," she greeted back as she carefully wrapped her arms around his neck. "We've been looking everywhere for you. Rumple's visions have been difficult to see after the battle and he hasn't been able to See what happened to you. Are you alright?"

"Oh, I've had much worse, my dear," her father chuckled, lifting his arm a bit and she could see the burns peeking out from under the wrappings. "Caught the wrong end of a ball of fire and stumbled into some sort of trap that witch had laid."

"I don't think there _is_ a good end of a fireball, Papa," Belle teased gently. "And you weren't the only one to stumble into one of her traps. Ruby and the others have been finding people scattered in all parts. Mulan found others as well and Robin sent word that a few had even been deposited into the dungeons in the castle."

"Then we won it, at least?"

"We did."

"You don't sound as pleased with that as you should, my girl," her father said warily, shifting so that she had room to take a seat on the bed next to him.

Belle did so without delay and she took hold of Maurice's free hand, all the raging emotions of the last few days suddenly boiling up and pouring out like a pot of water on the stove with a lid keeping the steam in. She'd struggled so hard to be strong for Rumple the last few days since they'd found out that everyone was leaving - something that would have thrilled him to no end with the exception of the fact that it would take his family with them as well, putting Bae and Henry in the line of danger - and when she hadn't been there, she'd been focused on finding her father. Now, though, his question brought the tears that she hadn't let come before and they spilled down her cheeks. "Oh Papa, I don't know what to do."

Maurice gripped his daughter's hand and let her cry for several long moments before he gave it a gentle squeeze. "Tell me what's wrong, Belle."

"David's decided to split the alliance with Rumple. He… Rumple manipulated the situation to make sure that we came out of this battle alive, but it cost Glinda the Good Witch her life. He says that she was fated to die anyway and there was nothing he could do to stop it, but the Blue Fairy has been spreading discourse through the alliance for weeks now. She used it, Papa, and now his family's leaving and they're in danger and I don't know what to do to help him."

Her father opened his mouth and promptly closed it, opting to think his next words through very carefully before speaking. Several long moments ticked by as he seemed to restructure his thoughts before releasing them, but finally he loosed a long breath in the form of a sigh, words following after it. "Belle, my dear girl, you know how I feel about him-"

"Papa-"

"Hear me out. You know how I feel about him. He's twisted and he's evil, a true monster if there ever was one, and he darkens everything that he touches." Maurice sighed again, eyes coming to rest on his daughter. "Except you. You haven't faded a bit since being with him. In fact, I think you've shed some light in on him. I know you love him, Belle, so you do for him what your mother did for me when I'd managed to work my way into a corner: you stand by his side and you brighten those dark moments as only you can do."

Belle had felt the dread welling up in her when he'd begun, but by the time her father finished - his little speech coming out in fits and stammers of a man that hoped what he was saying would truly help her - her heart was warmed and she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Papa."

"I suppose you should hurry back to him, now that you know I'm alive."

"Bae actually mentioned that he was hoping to spend some time with him this evening before he has to leave in the morning. I'll have to go back before dawn, but that gives us a few hours." She stopped, smiling through the tears that had begun to escape again. "I missed you, Papa."

"I missed you too, my girl, but you shouldn't have worried so much." He offered her a smile. "I have to give you away at your wedding."

"Yes," she agreed with a laugh. "Yes you do."

* * *

"I don't want to go."

It wasn't the first time he said it, and by this point he was pretty sure that unless he found a way to duck away from the protective watch of two parents, a set of grandparents, two women with wolf hearing and smell, _and_ a set of particularly loyal dwarves on his way to the castle he'd have no chance of getting back for some time. He might have been twelve (almost thirteen!) but he wasn't a fool. While retaking Regina and Grandma Snow's castle had been a major point in their favour, Zelena and Pan - especially Pan - weren't fighting a war as Gramps would. They were sneaky and they were hiding. It was nearly impossible to find them when they didn't want to be found, and he'd heard his parents talking about the fact that they hadn't captured one this last time meant that it would be that much harder next time.

The grownups might not know how Pan worked, but Henry did. So did his dad and his Grandpa Gold, but no one was listening to them. They all thought Zelena was the real threat, and while Henry knew she wasn't to be taken lightly, neither was his great-grandfather. They needed all the help that they could get in the fight ahead and splitting up seemed like the dumbest thing they could do.

"You'll be able to come back and visit once everything's done," Grandma Snow promised.

"We shouldn't be leaving at all. Grandpa Gold can help."

"We'd asked Mr Gold for help and he was... Less than honest with us," Mary Margaret said carefully.

Henry snorted, his grandfathers' conversation coming to mind. Oh, he'd been awake, but he'd learned long ago that people are more honest when they think you can't hear them. Another argument that he'd been holding back pushed to the front of his thoughts. "But who is going to cast the spell to take Pan's powers away? Wasn't Grandpa Gold supposed to do that?"

His grandmother frowned. "Henry, we don't even know if he's capable of casting that anymore. We'll find a way of defeating Pan. You don't need to worry. We won't let either of them get to you. Good always wins over evil."

"That doesn't mean we need to leave," the almost-teen pressed.

"I know you don't want to leave, but it really is for the best."

"Is that what the Blue Fairy says?"

He hadn't meant for it to come out quite as harshly as it did, but the look on his grandmother's face said that he hadn't curbed it as much as he'd meant to. Grandma Snow stared at him with her green eyes wide and her mouth dropped open a little. "Henry, Blue is… Well the relationship between Blue and your grandpa is very-"

"I know they don't like each other and I know it's mutual. She's been looking for a way to drive us away since we got here. Even Mom and Dad see it and if you talk with Regina, I know she'll see it too. She won't be happy we're doing this either."

"She'll understand, just as we all do," Snow White huffed. "Now, it's time to go grab your things. You're packed, right?"

"Yeah," Henry agreed, wrinkling his nose and turning towards the stairs that led up to his room. Emma had refused to talk about it over the last several days. She wouldn't take sides between what her son _knew_ that she knew was wrong and what her parents thought was right. Neal had been resigned, though never pretended to be happy about it. Blue, though, had been smug, even if she hadn't gotten everything she wanted. Henry didn't know why the lead fairy would want to separate his grandfather from the rest of his family, but she seemed bent on doing so and had managed to turn things in her favour. Sometimes he really thought that she played at being good more than she actually managed it.

"Getting ready to go, are we?"

Henry stopped, the voice unexpected and he hadn't realized that he'd made it up to the hall yet. He'd been so lost in thought that his grandfather's presence hadn't even registered until his words did. He turned, a small hope fluttering. "Don't guess you've figured out a way to make them stay, huh?"

His grandfather shook his head slowly. "No, I'm afraid they'll hear none of it."

"It's not fair," he whispered and felt the crushing wave of helplessness come down around him. He didn't want to go. He didn't want his family to split and fracture. He'd wanted to know them for far too long and now he had them and he wasn't willing to give even one of them up. He'd tried for every possible loophole he could think of. Maybe his grandfather could come with them? No, that wouldn't work, he'd been told, as the whole point was that he should no longer have a key role in the battles ahead. Maybe Henry could go back and forth like Belle had been doing? That was also a bad idea too, he was informed, in that Zelena might be able to hijack the charm. The Blue Fairy had even taken that moment to remind him that she still believed his grandfather to have taken his own father's side in this whole affair, and if that were true then it would simply open the boy up to far too many dangers at their hands. Rumplestiltskin _wasn't_ on Pan's side though, and Henry knew it. Without warning he launched forward, wrapping his arms around his grandfather's middle. "I'll miss you."

Rumplestiltskin stiffened at the sudden contact, but eased after a moment and Henry felt him wrap one arm around him, the other coming to the top of his head in an affectionate gesture. "I know, lad," he whispered. "I'll miss you too. You remember what I've been teaching you though, don't you?"

"Yeah," Henry sniffed, not sure when the his eyes had become damp. He was almost thirteen. Almost thirteen-year-olds did _not_ cry.

"And the book I gave you? You'll need to keep on with your studies. Your mother can answer many of your questions. Listen to her, do you hear?"

"_You_ promised to teach me."

"I know, but do you remember what I told you in New York when we went to find your father?"

"Things don't always work out the way you want them to," Henry said dejectedly.

"That doesn't mean they don't work out. I'll teach you, Henry. On that you have my word."

The boy pulled in a deep breath, forcing himself to release his grandfather and look him in the eye. It was strange to think that he'd been so afraid of this man as a child, but he'd never been anything but kind to him, even when he played the rest of the town like his personal chess pieces. A small smile finally tugged his lips. "And Rumplestiltskin never breaks a deal," he murmured.

"That's right. Ask your father about that. Sometimes it takes a bit longer than anticipated, but I make good on my deals."

"I love you, Grandpa."

Rumplestiltskin's expression tightened as if he were trying to hold something back. It seemed to be a losing battle, though, and he bent forward, placing a kiss on Henry's head. "I love you too," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.

* * *

Belle had returned as dawn broke with the only good news of the day. Her father was alive and resting in a little village. She'd come to be with him, though, as his son and grandson left, pulled away by his own actions that he still wasn't sure he could have avoided. She gripped his hand, fingers wrapped around his and held on tight. Rumplestiltskin didn't dare look at her, but instead stood looking straight ahead to the gate that was closing behind the crowd of travelers, Bae and Henry among them.

There was a loud clang as the gate shut entirely and the wards that had shifted to let them through fell back into place. Rumple's expression was steeled, not risking any of the fear and anxiety that was threatening to drag him under to show.

He felt Belle squeeze his hand a little tighter and then she let go, only to wrap her arms around his neck and rest her head against his chest. "I'm sorry, Rumple."

"Nothing to be done for it now," he answered tightly.

"Bae mentioned that you gave him a charm to transport him back when he wishes. He'll be back as soon as they get there and you'll know that everyone made it safe."

He did love her optimism, he just couldn't find it in himself to echo it. So instead he tried for a smile that might have just been a thinning of his lips and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you, my dear."

"I love you."

"And I love you."

The castle was terribly quiet in that moment and he hadn't realized just how deafening the silence of it was. It hadn't been this empty since before they'd returned. The halls had been filled with Henry's laugh or the endless talk of royals on how to best face the situation. There had been so much chatter, but now that it was gone, Rumplestiltskin though that it might not have been as bad as all of that. Certainly not if it meant his family was safe.

The quiet seemed to follow him, almost like a dark cloud as he searched for some way to fill it. Belle found a book, as she so often did, and he sat with her for as long as he could manage, trying to focus the fact that she, at least, was still near. Finally, though, his body seemed to reflect the same nervousness as his mind and could sit still no longer, pressing a kiss to her lips and telling her he needed some time. She let him go with a promise that he'd let her know if he changed his mind.

Surprisingly enough his magic didn't pull him to his tower, but to his room instead, and to the balcony that he and Bae had sat on the night before. When he'd first lost Bae all he'd known was that he would find him if out of sheer determination, if nothing else. When the seer had said that he would design a curse to take him to the Land Without Magic, it was a fourteen-year-old Bae that he'd held in his thoughts. Centuries had passed and he hadn't known what to expect, other than to cling to the hopes that he _would_ find him. He'd certainly never imagined being able to sit and share a drink with his grown son, speaking openly and honestly about so much.

As the night had worn on he and Bae and talked about many things. They'd discussed Milah and Hook, Bae's time in with the Darlings and then in Neverland. Rumple had wanted to know everything that he hadn't wanted to touch when he'd reunited with Bae in Manhattan. Then he'd been too afraid, too sure that he needed to take control of the situation and manipulate it into what he wanted it to be. He'd needed to fix it. Now they both knew that fixing it meant working at it and there was no changing the past. Erasing memories did nothing but ensure that you'd repeat the same mistakes again and again. His son loved him and knew he was loved in return. Now, Rumplestiltskin thought as he picked up the mostly finished bottle of liquor that Bae had so graciously helped him with the night before, he had to put his trust in his son that he'd come back.

"Hard letting him go, isn't it laddie?"

His wards hadn't given off any warnings and Rumplestiltskin dropped the bottle in his surprise, the glass shattering on the balcony as he whirled around and found his father standing on the ledge. Pan wore a grin that stretched nearly across his face, his eyes shining with mischief. "Afraid he might choose not to come back when he starts to remember exactly who you are and what you did?"

"How did you get through…?"

"Oh, those?" Pan asked, waving back to the wards that all seemed to be in place. "I've never had a problem with them. Not even the new ones you set up. I just haven't had a reason to pop by. Thought I'd see how you were doing."

Rumplestiltskin prior to his curse breaking wouldn't have needed someone to hold Pan down as he wrapped the spell around him to strip him of his powers, but with his powers diminished he did. Regina had been the clear choice in the matter, but she wasn't there. None of them were, so the former Dark One did the next best thing. He went for Pandora's Box, summoning it up from his personal vault, but the magic had only begun to tug on it when the boy that had once been his father tutted, striking out with his own spell that slammed Rumple into the wall hard, holding him there and cutting his summoning spell short. "Not so fast, laddie."

"What the hell do you want?" Rumple growled, immediately beginning to unravel Pan's spell.

"I came to see your face when you realize that the one time you let him go is the one time you should have held on like your own life depended on it. Seems I'm here a bit early, but I'm willing to wait if you are."

Rumple stopped cold, the spell hanging in the air between them that was half undone, half still holding him. He gaped at the child demon and tried to reach for the future again but found it just as clouded as it had been.

"Oh, I thought you'd Seen it," Pan taunted. "Maybe not. Zelena's after your little boy and then she's going to deliver the Heart of the Truest Believer to me. She doesn't know it yet, of course, but that's all part of the game."

"I hardly think you came here to warn me."

"Oh I didn't. I just needed to make sure you knew that I won, Rumple. You dug your own grave on this. You tossed your lot in with those that you thought you loved and that you would swear loved you back and all it's done is gotten them killed. I think I might take a trip downstairs to see that pretty little-"

Pan never saw the attack coming and, truth be told, Rumplestiltskin hadn't felt it building within himself either. He lashed out though, the raw power that he so rarely wielded in such an unrefined form playing the part of a weapon well enough. His father stumbled back, hand pressed against the wound and it came back bloodied. His face scrunched up into a strained snarl. "All you've done is delayed her death, not his," he growled and lifted into the air.

He was gone, leaving Rumplestiltskin on the balcony alone, his mind spinning wildly. Then he saw it. He _finally_ Saw it and it left him feeling physically ill.

_Zelena stood facing Bae and she radiated dark power. He'd been split apart from Emma who might have stood a chance at helping him, but he didn't back down. Instead he readied his blade for whatever came and she smirked at him, her red lips quirking like one that knew she'd already won. Then she released it, a ball of pure darkness that Baelfire had no chance of escaping. He tried to counter it with his sword, but it didn't stand a chance, cracking and disintegrating into nothing before the magic hit him square in the chest, pulling a terrible scream from him as he fell back against the ground, dark eyes wide and convulsing wildly as the curse continued to rip through him, killing him bit by bit. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, it stopped and he lay still on the ground, his eyes wide and lifeless, staring up at the sky._

Rumplestiltskin felt his breath catch as he came out of the vision and terror took hold. It hadn't happened yet. He could stop it. He could fix this.

He didn't think about anything but his son as his magic pulled him to Bae.

* * *

TBC

Next time - Rumplestiltskin rushes to save his son


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Chapter Twenty-Three.**

"You not talking to me, kid?" Emma asked as she stepped into pace with her son. He'd been walking as much by himself as he could, head down, and thoroughly put out by the fact that he hadn't found a way to convince David and Mary Margaret that they were making a mistake by leaving. Not that she blamed him. She was pissed at Gold, but Neal had told her what he'd said to David when he'd dropped the verdict on him, and he wasn't wrong. He and Regina were the go-to people when something less than savoury needed to happen, and while the blonde didn't agree with the route he'd taken, she knew a lie when she heard one and didn't doubt the truthfulness of his explanation. Nothing about it had set her natural warnings off quite like Blue had.

The fairy had somehow managed to avoid Emma like she was a plague carrier. Funny. Did she think she'd take the next blow? It was certainly tempting. Blue had managed to bring all the right people in to 'help' that turned the tide against Rumplestiltskin. Oh, nobody was happy with him, that was certain, but there was a very definite line between not-happy and the venom that some of these people spoke with. They all still referred to him as the Dark One, bringing up things he'd done to them and to their families - supposedly - for centuries. Gold hadn't been in there to say if those were true or not, but it didn't really matter. Many statements were decades old, stretching back well before the Dark Curse had carried them away to Storybrooke and some of them were even statements about Storybrooke grievances that they had against him. It was absurd and while it seemed to have little to do with the conversation at hand, people did have a way of riling others up and it snowballed from there. They'd know who Gold was going into this and they'd looked past it for his help because they needed him and he'd proven that when his interests aligned with theirs that he could be trusted. Mostly.

Above all, though, she knew they needed him to defeat Pan. The demon child hadn't shown his face as readily as Zelena, and it was like the others had simply forgotten him because of that. Emma hadn't. She hadn't forgotten what he did to Henry, either.

Her son gave a shrug, but didn't answer. Neal chuckled from her right. "Don't be offended, he's not talking to anyone."

Emma grimaced. "You get a chance to talk to my dad?"

"I think I just fell a few notches in his book."

She rolled her eyes and gave him a shove. David was torn, she knew. Mary Margaret wanted to go home and she'd never liked being played like Gold had played them to get what he wanted, even if what he'd wanted had kept them from getting killed. Emma had thought that Neal's attempts to talk to her dad were never going to make it there, but she hadn't said anything then and she didn't plan to get on with the _I told you so_'s now. "Doubt that."

"I think Blue's gotten into more people's heads than we knew. They're really putting pressure on him for this."

"Yeah, even Philip called it at the end. She's putting pressure on everyone." Emma quirked an eyebrow and a smirk followed. "Am I a terrible person that I think we should find a fly swatter for her?"

Neal choked on a laugh. "She does keep screwing over people in her attempt for the _Greater Good_, huh?"

Emma could hear the capitalisation in the phrase and Neal's expression did nothing to ease the sarcastic way in which it had been delivered. "She's the one that sent you to our world, right? The Land Without Magic."

"Yeah, but I don't know if I've just spent a lot of time around my dad recently or if I'm older and wiser, but I have trouble believing she was doing it out of the goodness of her heart. I think she was just trying to get rid of him and I was an easy way to do that."

"Don't let Mary Margaret hear you say that. She's stuck on her. Patron fairy of her family or some crap."

Neal snorted. "She's just as manipulative as my dad is, but Pop fesses up to it readily. At least he's honest about what he is."

The fact that he was ready to jump to defend Gold was taking some getting used to. She remembered one of the very first conversations that they'd had was about his family life that had once been so good and had turned so very, very sour. He'd been so angry that three hundred years after his dad abandoned him he'd sprinted down the street in Manhattan just to get away from him and then begged her not to tell him where he was. Now, though, the two had put that aside and they were both working towards something that probably wasn't anything like it had been, but was better at least. Emma couldn't find it in her to complain. Henry had two grandfather's and a dad in his life now when all he'd wanted was family. Well, he _would_ have them both in his life once they'd dealt with all of this.

Emma opened her mouth to toss out another well-deserved barb about the Blue Fairy but stopped, feeling a violent chill make its way up her spine. A warning, she realized, as dangerous power ripped through their traveling party, throwing them from their feet. Her ears were ringing as she pulled herself to her knees and saw that Neal had covered Henry from the blast.

"She's after Henry!" she called over the ringing, realizing after the words left her mouth how useless they'd really been. Of course she was there for Henry. What had possibly possessed them to think otherwise?

Neal was hauling their son to his feet and as he did he shoved something into his hand. Emma watched Neal's lips move, Henry's eyes grow wide, and then magic swirled around him and he was gone. She stood staring at the place that he'd been and turned her increasingly terrified gaze on Neal.

Her son's father, though, was staring down the Wicked Witch, drawing his sword.

"Where did you send him?" Zelena snarled.

"Out of your reach."

Emma reached out, magic racing to her command, but Zelena must have felt it as well because she lashed out first. The witch's own fine tuned skills aided her in pushing back on the light magic, physically sending Emma skidding back across dirt and snow. Her boots slid and her hands burned as she tried to return the push and failed. She held out for a moment, though, before Zelena's spell hit and everything went black.

* * *

Zelena's attack had come out of nowhere and Henry hadn't even felt it coming. His dad couldn't have shielded him like he did if he hadn't been directly beside him and when they'd made it back to their feet he had shoved a necklace into his hands. Henry recognized it. It was the swan pendant that his mom used to wear when he'd first met her. He couldn't pinpoint when she'd stopped wearing it, but the fact that Neal had it probably meant that it was linked to him in some way. "We love you, Henry," was all that he heard as magic pulled him from the sudden battlefield.

It was a rough ride, nothing like being teleported by Regina or Grandpa Gold. He swayed when he landed, feeling his knees hit the floor hard and had to blink several times before his vision cleared to see that he was in the Dark Castle again. It was quiet and empty without the others moving about and Henry felt his chest tighten. Everyone was fighting Zelena. He had to find his grandpa so that he could go help them.

"Grandpa Gold!" he called out as loudly as he could, pulling himself to his feet and darting out of the foyer that he'd landed in. "Grandpa!"

Henry tore through into the Great Hall, shouting and pulling doors open to look inside. What if they weren't here? What if he and Belle had gone off to do something now that everyone was gone and they weren't even in the castle? Should he try calling his name, hoping that that could summon him or at least catch his attention?

"Henry?"

The boy spun, nearly toppling off his feet. Belle stood on the stairs and he stopped his wild search, frozen as he'd pulled a door open. "Belle!" He was almost thirteen, and almost-thirteen-year-olds did not cry, but there might have been a tear or two as he launched himself at her and she readily wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close.

"What happened?"

"Zelena showed up and Dad handed me Mom's necklace and it took me here," he said in a rush, showing her the pendant. "I need to find my grandpa. He's got to save them, Belle! He's got to-"

"Okay, okay," she said and gave him a quick squeeze before releasing him. "He's upstairs. We'll let him know and he'll take care of everything."

Henry felt a rush of relief. Everything was going to be okay. Grandpa Gold would make sure of it. He loved Neal more than anyone else in the world and so he'd rescue everyone because of it. The former Dark One might not be willing to stick his neck out for just anyone out of the group that had left his castle - his grandson was no fool, he knew that Rumplestiltskin could hold a grudge with the best of them - but when it came down to his Baelfire, nothing could stand in the way.

"Rumple?" Belle called as she pushed the door to their bedroom open.

It was empty. Utterly empty. The doors that led out to the balcony were open, a breeze making its way in and swirling through the room. Belle looked just as shocked as Henry felt as she ghosted through, aimed directly for the open doors and walked through them. She looked over the banister first and he tried to push down the sinking feeling as he followed her. There was blood on the stones. Not a lot, but enough to show there'd been a scuffle, and all the boy could think of was that Zelena or Pan had gotten to his grandpa first. He couldn't imagine them getting the upper hand on him. No one ever did, but if they had and they'd hurt him…

Belle moved past him, eyes fixated on the bed. There was a note there, scrawled in familiar handwriting and she frowned.

"What does it say?" Henry asked when she didn't say anything right away.

She continued to stare for a moment, as if she were making sure she was reading the words correctly. Henry inched closer, taking in the perfect little loops if the letters and it did nothing to ease his mind.

_Bae's in trouble. _

"He didn't even have time to write it," Belle whispered, holding the parchment delicately in her fingers.

It was only then that Henry could feel it. It was a similar sensation that he felt when he walked through one of his grandfather's wards or unraveled some of his magic he'd given to him to practice with. It was Rumplestiltskin's magic radiating from the page. He'd left so quickly he hadn't taken the time to dip a quill in ink. "You think he Saw something?" Henry asked at last.

"His visions haven't been working properly, so if he did, it would have been sudden."

"We have to help him."

Belle turned, her blue eyes landing on the boy so suddenly that he couldn't help but feel the strength behind them. She wielded her own brand of something just as strong if not stronger than his grandpa's magic in the form of her courage. "Your father sent you here to keep you safe," she said, even if he could hear the strain behind the words. "Rumple would never forgive me if anything happened to you. _I_ could never live with myself."

Henry studied her carefully, weighing his options. He'd recognize the increasingly familiar tingle of blood magic in the transportation charm his dad had made him use. It would listen to him if he willed it. He could go back. "Then you better come with me," he said after a moment, and even in the stress of the moment he could feel his lips quirk at the edges.

Belle seemed to understand the situation immediately and grabbed for her sword that was propped up by the bed. She strapped it to her waist and glared at him. "You're not going anywhere without me," she declared. "And when we get there, you won't question what I say."

"Deal."

* * *

Rumplestiltskin landed in the heat if the battle in a swirl of dark red magic and death surrounded him. He'd warned them of this. It didn't take the ability to see the future to use a little common sense. They'd put Henry in the open and doing so would now lead to his son's death if he didn't stop it. The former Dark One's gaze swept the impromptu battlefield. Zelena's magic ripped through people that could never have been ready to defend against it, and he pushed down a flicker of satisfaction. It did him no good that these people that had been so determined to hate him were paying the price right now, and their precious Blue Fairy was nowhere to be seen.

He didn't see his grandson amongst the crowd, but he did see Bae. His sword was drawn and he was squaring off with Zelena, eyes dark with anger. She looked like she was ready to tear the worlds apart, or at least the forest, and power radiated from her. Bae didn't show any fear as he stood against her. Instead he seemed resolute, and Rumplestiltskin felt something truly powerful begin to build around his former student. The vision pulled at his mind again and he focused on Bae.

Rumple teleported without even thinking. He didn't have time to think, or even to shield himself against the powerful attack. Not that it would have helped. He was too close and it was coming too fast. It hit almost as soon as he reappeared, slamming hard into his chest and all the breath in his lungs simply disappeared. He stumbled back, the momentum of the spell nearly throwing him off his feet, but hand steadied him, easing him down to the ground in a controlled fashion rather than the freefall that was threatening.

"Papa?" Bae's stained voice sounded in his ears.

Rumplestiltskin tried to answer, but found he couldn't as the curse coursed through him, spreading out through his body and eating at him. It felt like someone was forcing fire through his veins, followed immediately by ice that turned sharp and ripped him open. He felt arms tighten around him and he realized he was in his son's lap, Bae holding onto him as if both their lives depended on it.

"Papa," he whispered again. "What-"

He'd managed to settle the terrible convulsions the pain brought on for at least half a moment, but another one ripped through him and he felt like he was drowning. He could hear Bae calling out again and again, his voice terrified as Rumple coughed and choked, tasting blood. "I... couldn't let her hurt you, Bae," he managed to wheeze out after a moment.

"That didn't mean you had to take it yourself, Papa," Bae murmured. "Are you... Are you going to be okay?"

Dark eyes slid closed as he tried to control another wave pushing through his system. The sounds of the battle had faded and he didn't know if it was because his body was shutting down or the fact that Zelena seemed to be frozen, staring in shock at the scene. At least she had been. Maybe she'd gone by now. He couldn't seem to focus enough to be sure.

"Papa?"

"No, Bae, I'm not. I..." The statement was cut off as a terrible sound reached his ears and it took a moment for him to realize that it was him. He was trembling uncontrollably again. He hadn't felt this terrible even when Hook's poison had raced through him and he'd known he was dying. Then, while it was painful and uncomfortable, he likely would have slipped off to sleep and simply faded, but this... No, this curse racing through him provided no such comfort. The pain wouldn't stop until he drew his last choking breath.

Finally it eased though, if only enough that he could grip his son's hand and focus on Bae's worried face. "Henry?" he breathed.

"I sent him home. To the Dark Castle."

Rumple breathed out a sigh. Home. It was so strange to have Bae refer to it as home. "Good. He's safe."

"What can I do, Papa?"

"Nothing to be done."

Bae froze where he sat and his grip tightened. "No. You're not dying. Your magic can heal you, right? Just-"

"No." Rumple tightened his grip as much as he could, pushing back against the agony to focus. He had to tell him. He had to make sure Bae knew that this was okay. If it was for him, he'd give up anything, and it was becoming clearer to him as the world faded around him: the seer had said that the fact that he'd lived at the point that the Dark Curse had been reversed was what had thrown everything. If he died here - if he _sacrificed_ himself here - it would set things straight. His son would be safe and he'd be happy. He could have his Happy Ending even if his father couldn't. That was enough. It had to be. He just hated doing it to Belle. He wouldn't even get to say goodbye.

"There has to be _something_, Papa. You're the king of loopholes. What can we do? I'll do whatever you say. Whatever it takes."

Rumplestiltskin reached a trembling hand to his son's face. He was crying for him. "I love you, Bae," he managed, feeling another wave building. He wouldn't last through this one. "I love you, son. I'm so sorry. I-"

"I love you too," Bae choked out. "I just got you back. You can't go."

Another apology bubbled in his chest, but it was washed away in the pain and Rumplestiltskin struggled to pull in the breath for it, but then went suddenly still, the world slipping away from him.

* * *

Pan hadn't expected Rumple to be able to lash out at him like he had, much less to do so. He made it a habit never to overestimate his son and always hated to be impressed with anything he did manage to deal out, as usually that left him entirely unimpressed at the next round if the game. He just lacked the imagination needed to really keep things interesting. It was a shame, really, because life could have been much simpler if he would just open his mind up a little. His silly affection for Baelfire and Henry were weighing him down and it was bordering on the pathetic.

No, Pan decided, he was actually rather irked with Rumple at the moment. His tied-down nature was enough to ruin the game at points and there was no reason to get his hopes up just because he'd surprised him this once. That, and the wound dealt by the former Dark One stung like hell.

Long fingers pulled back green fabric and he winced at the way the blood had already dried it to his skin, tugging and pulling at it. A short breath escaped him as it finally pulled free, the wound breaking open again to reveal a nasty gash left by dark magic, full of hate and anger brought on by the betrayal his son thought he was so entitled to feel.

The telltale feel of magic swept through the remains of what might have been quite a grand castle before the Dark Curse ripped it apart. They'd agreed to meet there with Henry once Zelena had him. The fact that she'd returned so quickly did not bode well.

Zelena appeared, her face pale, making her already green skin sickly looking and she actually stumbled when she landed, her blue eyes wide. Great. She was becoming less entertaining than Rumple. "You're missing the point of your little trip."

She whirled in him, blinking as if she'd come out of a trance. "He's dead."

Pan's mind began to whirl. That arrogant bunch of fools would have given their lives for Henry. How could she have possibly botched it up _that_ badly? "Well that's just great. You needed Henry alive for your little spell, but I guess now you-"

"Henry?" she asked dully. "No... I was trying to kill that idiot Baelfire. He'd sent the boy back to the Dark Castle. The whole point of driving them out of it was to get the child. I was so angry I just... Then Rumple got in the way."

"Rumple was there?" Pan asked, his voice hollow.

"The curse meant for Baelfire hit Rumple. He died in his son's arms."

Pan stared at her, the words slowly making their way into his ears and swirling around his brain. He'd never bothered to think of Rumple _actually_ dying. There'd been no point with him becoming the Dark One, and that had been the first time since he'd left the little runt behind that he'd given half a damn to even acknowledge him at all. "You killed him?" he asked, his lips surprisingly numb as the words left him.

"I didn't mean to," she answered in a small voice.

He didn't give himself permission to move. Why should he have? Rumple was another play thing, even if he was one that he preferred over others. Felix had been too and he'd let him go easily enough. He'd hardly missed him. Toys were easily replaced.

That's why he was a little surprised at his own actions when he buried the dagger he kept on him deep in Zelena's chest, shoving her fully against the crumbling wall. She was just as shocked, eyes wide with something akin to betrayal. Why she hadn't thought he would eventually betray him, he had no idea. She was a fool to trust him, but most adults were.

"What do you care?" she gasped out. "You hated him."

"No," Pan answered softly, "I never hated Rumple."

"But you never loved him," she sneered, her face a strange combination of disgust and pain.

He tilted his head to the side to study her. "And you did? Don't be absurd, Zelena. Love is overrated. Rumple was simply one of my favourite toys, and if anyone was going to break him, it was going to be me." He twisted the knife and she let out a small cry before her knees gave way and he let her drop, feeling a little more satisfied than he had a moment before. It looked like he'd have to get Henry himself.

* * *

Notes: Happy Independence Day everyone! I wanted to go ahead and get this up early so that I wouldn't forget. I hope you have a great and safe holiday. :)

If everything works out as planned, this will wrap up on Wednesday of next week and I'll start in on my new story Courage of the Stars. Depending on how much of that I get writing on this weekend, the prologue may even go up on Wednesday along with the last chapter of Whatever it Takes.

Next time - Word of Zelena's death spread and preparations are made to fight Pan.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Chapter Twenty-Four.**

Zelena was gone, he noticed distantly, and so was his papa. Rumplestiltskin lay completely still in his son's arms and Baelfire wouldn't let go for all the world. Tears were streaming down his face and he hadn't known he could cry that much for the man that had once abandoned him only to rip the worlds apart to find him again. The tears were coming though and his chest was so tight he could barely breathe.

Others had gathered around him, even most hung back, not quite sure what to say or do. The battle was over now and there was nothing to distract them from the scene playing out. They murmured amongst themselves and Bae tried to tune them out. All except one voice that did actually cut through the rumble.

"Dad? What happened?"

Bae looked up, finding Henry standing just a few yards away with Belle. Her face was ashen as she looked on, but she was frozen in place. The clever kid had figured out how to reverse the teleportation spell. Well, his papa had said it was blood magic, so that wasn't too surprising.

"Your grandfather did the honorable thing and gave his life so that your father could live," a pious voice sounded from behind and Baelfire felt pure fury rise up inside of him as he turned, never releasing his father's limp form. The Blue Fairy stood with her chin tilted up and the _for once_ hadn't been spoken in the sentence, but it certainly couldn't have been missed either.

"Shut up, Blue," Bae growled. "You're _happy_ this happened."

The fairy looked offended. "Fairies are never pleased with death, Baelfire."

"Just his. Can you see now that he want working with them?"

"Neal..." David started in, but seemed to think better of it as the anger washed out and Rumplestiltskin's son felt only grief in its wake. He was still gripping his papa's limp hand in his own, desperate to feel it move and prove them all wrong. He was the king of loopholes and he was a survivor. He couldn't be dead. It seemed like a terrible nightmare he'd come out of. Maybe he'd wake up after having dozed off and find that's all it was.

"It should have been me," Bae whispered.

A hand rested on his shoulder and he startled, finding Emma kneeling next to him. She'd never been very good at comforting. Really, Henry was the only exception to that. It just didn't come naturally to her, but he could see how hard she was trying in that moment as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "He wanted you to live," she whispered what he already knew.

"I just got him back."

"I'm so sorry, Neal..."

He pulled in a shaky breath, feeling eyes staring at him from every direction. His father wouldn't want that. Even in death, he wouldn't have wanted to be made a spectacle outside of his own terms. Slowly, painfully, he lifted his papa's hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against the back of it. "I love you, Papa," he whispered brokenly and Henry sank to the ground with them.

Bae was certainly no expert in magic, but since he'd come to live in the Dark Castle he thought he might be able to sense it a bit better than he had. He was sure he felt something pulse around them in that moment and Rumplestiltskin drew in a sudden, deep breath, brown eyes flying open as he stiffened in his son's arms. Those dark eyes turned to Bae, still pained but full of life. He looked up at him in wonder, reaching a trembling hand to the side of the younger man's face and smiled. "I love you too, Bae," he rasped.

"How?" came the startled response from Blue that sounded a bit too distraught at the fact that Rumplestiltskin had survived the attack.

"True Love's Kiss," Henry answered practically. "It doesn't have to be Belle. Emma woke me up from the Sleeping Curse. Dad woke Grandpa up because he loves him."

Belle had managed to convince her legs to carry her over to them and knelt hard against the ground at Rumplestiltskin's side, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Are you alright?" she asked shakily.

"I believe so." Dark eyes flickered back up to meet Bae's. "You saved my life, son."

"Well, you saved mine first," Bae murmured, even as he helped ease his father into sitting up, Belle steadying him from the other side. "I'm not complaining, but I'm not sure I get it. Sleeping Curse, yeah, but that wasn't a Sleeping Curse. Even I know that."

"It most certainly was not," Rumplestiltskin agreed, shifting and taking inventory of the damage left behind, if any. "Much nastier than that, but it _was_ a curse, and all curses can be broken. Though if you'd waited much longer, I fear I might have been out of reach."

Bae felt a coldness spread through him, but focused instead on the fact that his papa was sitting up and talking. He'd been lost to him forever just moments before and somehow they'd been given yet another chance.

"Perhaps you really have come further than credit has been given," Blue said tightly and Bae glanced back. She still did not look overly happy that he was alive, but the murmurs around her seemed to encourage her words. He barely contained the smirk at the idea that those she had manipulated so readily were now pushing her into something she didn't want to admit. There was no denying the fact that his father was more than capable of love. First Belle's kiss had proven it and broken his curse and now Bae's had reversed a deadly curse to save his life. Rumplestiltskin would never be a saint by anyone's expectations, but he could and did love very deeply.

"Don't sound too disappointed, Reul Ghorm. People might suspect your true nature," Rumplestiltskin said evenly, shifting to stand.

Bae moved with him, as did Belle, and they managed to keep him on his feet. He was leaning dangerously to the left, hardly putting any weight on the newly healed ankle and his son realized that anything he'd been putting towards bracing the injury after the quick fix was now going to fixing the damage that the curse had inflicted on him. He looked better, certainly - alive versus dead would do that - but he was still pale and a little shaky.

David stepped forward, his face holding the expression of a man that knew he'd made the wrong choice. "Rumplestiltskin-"

"Henry's safe," the former Dark One said, his voice low and very controlled. "Thanks to Bae."

"And he's safe thanks to you," David acknowledged, glancing back to the crowd that seemed perfectly content to let him speak for them. He let a long breath out and straightened his shoulders out. "I know when I've made a mistake. We'll probably never see eye to eye on how to get to the end, but we both want our family safe."

"Is this something like an apology, David?"

David offered him a thin smile. "No, of course not."

Bae was a little surprised at the chuckle that came from his father at what must have been a shared joke. "Of course not."

"Yes, it's an apology," David answered. "I was wrong."

Rumplestiltskin nodded. "Fair enough."

"Seriously?" Emma managed and Bae shot her a look. She shrugged. "It's your dad. Everything comes with a price. Forgiveness is no exception."

"Actually, Miss Swan, that's _life_," he corrected. "And your father did pay the price."

"Will you still help us?" a noble that Bae didn't recognize asked.

"Not you," Rumplestiltskin sneered, "though you're likely to reap the benefit all the same. No, I'll help my family."

David nodded, accepting the reasoning and Bae put an arm around his father, both supporting him and pulling him into a hug. He'd changed, there was no doubt, and he wouldn't give him up for anything. "Welcome back, Papa."

* * *

Regina was quickly coming to the conclusion that it would do both her son and her nerves far more good if she simply didn't let Henry out of her sight again. He was less inclined to agree with that assessment and even Robin said that it might be a tad too much, but the last two times she'd let him travel without her Zelena had made a go for him. The first time it had been Henry himself - she now knew - that had beaten Zelena back, but that had likely been surprise on both sides. The second time it had been Neal that had saved him and it had nearly gotten Rumplestiltskin killed.

"Deep breath," Robin chuckled as they stood watching Henry take off down the long hallway, Roland at his heels. The boy had already been there, snatched from the Dark Castle by Regina's magic, and he'd missed the boy he was now calling his big brother and would let him out of sight.

Emma wrapped an arm around him, pulling him into a sideways hug as they moved towards Regina. She was finally starting to look more at home in the tougher fabrics and leathers of the Enchanted Forest than she had when they'd first arrived back. Granted, Snow had more sense than to put her in those absurd dressed to traipse around the kingdoms in. She was starting to look like the woman she might have grown into without the Dark Curse ripping her family apart, and for the first time Regina thought she might be truly happy for that. She'd never regret it - that curse had brought her her son - but she could see some of the damage she'd caused slowly knitting back together into something stronger than ever before.

"Are we about done screwing around?" the former Evil Queen asked with a smirk.

"Finally," Emma breathed and flashed a grin of her own. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but one of Mary Margaret's birds -" she glared at the quirked eyebrow she received in return for the statement - "just delivered a message that Zelena was killed by Pan."

"We're down to one then," Robin said thoughtfully, scooping his son up in his arms.

"The worst one," Henry added with a look that made Regina want to kill the little imp for what he'd done.

Instead she reached out and touched the side of her adopted son's face. "Don't worry, sweetie. With David coming to his senses, we'll have Pan taken care of in no time." She turned her attention to Emma. "Is Rumple on his feet?"

"Belle's guilted him into bed. He's not happy about being here to begin with, but from what Neal said he magicked everything he needed from the Dark Castle and has been working on the last bits of the spell."

"Like he hasn't had the time to do that," Regina huffed. They'd arrived the night before, many of them looking like they'd been through hell. Rumple had especially and when he'd told her exactly what curse Zelena had been using, she questioned his sanity in having traveled with them the rest of the way to the castle. He'd looked ready to fall over when they'd made it there, leaning so heavily on his son that they both would have gone tumbling if he'd actually fallen.

"Apparently it's pretty intense," Emma answered with a shrug.

"You're going to help him, right, Mom?" Henry asked and Regina felt a warmth spread through her.

"Of course."

He beamed and Regina returned the smile. She'd spent so many years sinking deeper and deeper into her hate and her pain that she'd forgotten what love felt like. If this was it, even amidst the chaos, she was happy to let it back in.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin had been a little put out with the fact that he hadn't been able to return home after nearly dying, but in the end the point remained - as it had _before_ everyone had up and left - that they needed to be in the same location. He and Regina had spoken briefly on their arrival, but Belle had been ready to strangle him at that point and he'd been ushered off to a room provided with the intention of pushing things into motion the next day. He was tired of playing his father's absurd game and it was time to end it.

"You hear the news?"

He glanced up, finding his son standing in the door to the room he and Belle had been given for their (temporary) stay. "I've been ordered under no uncertain circumstances to leave this room," he answered flippantly and Bae rolled his eyes.

"Belle's just worried, Pop. I don't blame her. You _were_ dead."

"Not quite gone yet."

"Too close for either of us," Bae answered tightly and Rumplestiltskin looked up from his project. His son was still worried.

"I'm fine now, Bae," he said softly. "Thanks to you." He reached out a hand and when the younger man crossed the room to take it Rumple was amazed, not for the first time, how far they'd come. If this had happened months before, Bae may have been saddened by his death, but he never would have been able to save him as he had now. There had been too much between them. It had been on both sides, Rumple with his walls and Bae with his, but somewhere in there they'd reached a point where they could remember - truly remember - just how much they loved each other. "So what haven't I heard?" Rumple asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Zelena's dead. David just got word. Apparently Pan killed her."

That was interesting. Rumplestiltskin shifted and stood. Everything was still stiff and achy, but it was nothing he couldn't push past. "Are you sure?"

"When Emma's parents say a little birdy told them something, they're usually serious."

The elder man snorted a laugh, starting forward and finding that even though he'd been seated for several hours that morning he was relatively steady on his feet. "It's time to move then."

"Did you See something, Papa?"

"Nothing clearly, but I certainly do know Pan. He's impatient and that's winning out if he killed his only ally." He held up the scroll he'd been going over again and again, the squid ink he'd pulled from his castle carefully set back on the desk so that it wouldn't fall and splatter everywhere.

"You finished it."

"Indeed I did. Shall we?"

Bae quirked an eyebrow. "Belle's going to kill you when she finds you up."

"Good thing we'll meet her on the way," Rumplestiltskin said with a grin.

* * *

Emma was a long way from being a practiced sorceress, but at least she was getting a feel for the world she should have grown up in. While there were plenty of things that still threw her, she thought she was taking it in stride. After all, she _was_ sitting at a roundtable discussion with her mother (Snow White), her father (Prince Charming), along with Captain Hook, Little Red Riding Hood, Grumpy the Dwarf, Tinker Bell, Robin Hood, Mulan, Belle, and Phillip from Sleeping Beauty. Oh, and Jiminy Cricket. Who could forget him? She wasn't even batting an eye. Not even when the conversation was being led by Rumplestiltskin and the Evil Queen on how they were going to hold and strip Peter Pan of his powers. It was frightening how well she was taking it. Funny, though, the Blue Fairy was surprisingly absent.

"Crazy, huh?" Neal whispered with a grin and Emma wondered sometimes if he could read her mind. She resisted the urge to punch him in the arm.

"You're one to talk. It's your grandfather we're trying to beat. Is that why your dad's not calling for his head?"

Neal frowned thoughtfully. "Pop's got some serious childhood trauma with Pan, but I'm not sure he'd be able to okay himself with murdering him outright unless it was the only way to save us. Especially not now."

"The Dark One's curse changes that much?"

"You'd be surprised."

"You're good for that, right, Miss Swan?" Regina called over and her tone was so sweet that Emma knew she'd been caught.

"I... Uh..."

"If you're done flirting, some of us are trying to fight a war and keep our loved ones safe," the queen snapped.

"I didn't think Emma'd gotten to that level," Neal answered. Of course he knew what was going on, even if he'd been whispering too. He always did. Someday she'd have to get him to teach her that trick.

"All she'll need to do is act as a backup to Regina," his father answered. "Emma is quite powerful and Regina has the training to be able to use it. Pan has been syphoning off the magic of this world since he arrived. If we corner him, we're likely to see more than we have yet."

"So what? I'm the backup battery in case Pan's sucked up too much magic?"

Gold's lips tugged out into a thin smile that reminded her of all the times that he sat back and watched Storybrooke play out before any of the others had their memories back. It was an amused smile, one that made her want to repeat her actions from the last battle they'd all actively been in and see if she could get another good swing in at him. "You're being straight with us this time?" she asked carefully.

"Very," he assured her in returned, not at all offended by the insinuation. "You'll be the backup battery, Miss Swan."

Emma snorted. "I think I can manage that."

"Good. We just might need you."

"I agree with the urgency after Zelena's death," David said from his place, "but he's disappeared again. We have no way to find him."

"Lure him out," Emma suggested.

"Then who plays bait?" Hook asked.

"I don't know. Gold?"

"That'd be too obvious."

"I could do it." The entire table swiveled around and Emma tried not to sigh at the fact that her son had somehow managed to get into the meeting. Weren't there guards at the door? Gold had probably taught him some absurd trick to sneak past them. Or maybe Neal had.

"Absolutely not," Regina voiced the general consensus. "We are not using you as bait, Henry. It's far too dangerous."

"But he'll come after me, and you guys will be right there to get him. I want to help."

"Your mother's right," Gold said before Emma could. "Pan is much too dangerous to use you."

"Then me," Neal offered and Emma thought Gold might have a fit.

"No."

"Well it has to be someone, Papa," Neal argued.

The argument went on as it always did and Emma glanced back at Henry. He heaved a sigh and turned, muttering something about being useful at least in watching after Roland. She couldn't help being just as proud of him as she was worried. Someday the kid was going to be a hell of a force to reckon with, but for now he needed to enjoy his childhood. Once they finished with this mess he could really start in on what he'd always wanted: learning to live as a prince in a castle in a place full of magic and excitement. They just had to take out Peter Pan first.

* * *

They didn't give him enough credit. He might be a kid, but he was a kid that had already proven his worth many times over. He wasn't afraid of Pan anymore. He'd already faced that demon. Anyway, the worst part about Neverland had been not knowing if his family was coming for him. Now, he knew.

He also knew they wouldn't be happy with his decision, but this was urgent. Gramps had said they all agreed on that. Regina would be able to tell as soon as Henry left the castle and they'd all rush out to find him. That's when they could snag Pan. Of course, he would have preferred them to be actively in on the plan, not just reactively.

Henry took a deep breath as he stood at the large, ornate door that would lead him out into the courtyard, past his mom's apple tree, and then outside of her wards. He could do this. One step at a time managed it nicely.

As he'd begun to study magic, he'd also begun to feel the differences in it. His grandpa's magic reminded him of his shop in Storybrooke and hadn't changed since he started noticing. Regina's magic, though, seemed to be in flux. The power of it wasn't diminished, but while it had frightened him with its cold, sharp edges that she had lashed out with in Storybrooke, now it brought back warmer memories of those times when she really had been the mother he loved dearly. The memory it pulled on this time was an early fall day when the apples had just begun to ripen and Regina and he had spent that Saturday morning baking apple sweets of every different kind. They'd laughed and she'd hugged him close, none of the bitterness making its way through yet.

Henry stepped through the ward and the protective warmth dissipated around him, leaving him opened and exposed. He hadn't come without a backup plan, of course, and he clutched the charmed necklace his father had used to keep him safe in the last attack.

He didn't know quite where he was going, but he tried to. Henry focused in the path as he moved into the trees and reached out like Grandpa Gold had been teaching him. He could feel his mom's wards behind him and even the magic that stirred from the land itself. Then there was just a void and it was _moving_. Henry looked up, following the path that he thought he could almost see and a familiar face came into view as Pan floated in the air. "You really are quite impressive, Henry," he said, landing in the soft dirt. "Coming out here all alone and everything. I'd almost think it was a trap if you didn't look so nervous."

Henry steeled himself. "I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else."

"Zelena has done most of the harm, but she's been dealt with. She couldn't deliver what she promised."

"You're not getting my heart."

"Let's see about that," Pan answered cheerfully as he lunged, but was cut short by a cloud of dark red smoke enveloped him, picking him up and putting him back down several yards away.

Henry looked up when a hand came to rest on his shoulder and his Grandpa Gold leveled a terrible glare in his father's direction. Pan, for all that it was worth, looked like his world had been tipped over on its side. "Rumple?"

Rumplestiltskin's hand tightened on Henry's shoulder and he moved the boy back behind him. "Hello, Papa," he all but snarled.

"But... Zelena killed you. The curse..."

"Good thing my son loves me," he answered and Henry felt the slightest of shifts as his adopted mother's magic raced through the air, pinning Pan into place.

* * *

Notes: My typical posting schedule is Monday, Wednesday, Friday, but with the terrible cliffhanger I left you with and the fact that work will likely be insanely busy tomorrow, I thought I'd drop this in tonight. It's the next to last chapter and Whatever it Takes will be wrapping up with the final chapter on Wednesday. Likely I'll go ahead and post the first chapter of my next story (Courage of the Stars) on Wednesday as well and get that started.

Next time - In conclusion, Rumple tries to put at least one of his demons to rest and Snow finds out about a certain engagement.


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Chapter Twenty-Five.**

Regina had known her wards had been breached almost immediately and it hadn't taken more than a couple of minutes for them to piece together what had happened. Henry had taken matters into his own hands. Rushing to his rescue had been the top priority for everyone, but Rumplestiltskin was happily surprised that no one argued that if the opportunity should present itself to take Pan down because of what Henry had done that they should take it. They knew he'd never put his grandson in danger to do so.

That was why his first priority had been to get Henry behind him, but then Pan had frozen at the sight of him and he knew they'd never receive another opportunity like this. Regina had known too, because she hadn't wasted any time. Her magic slammed into Pan and held him tight. Rumple could see the slender strings of magic pulled around him and he twitched, unable to move. The little imp's blue eyes were wide in shock, but Rumplestiltskin wasn't sure that it was entirely because he was held. Those eyes were still trained on him and he couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable.

"She'd said she killed you, laddie."

"Sorry to disappoint."

Pan shifted, or tried to, but he didn't make it very far as the others came out to surround him. Bae and Robin had arrows hastily coated squid ink trained on him and David held his sword at the ready for even a flinch in the wrong direction. Emma stood by her father and Rumple could already begin to feel Regina pulling from her as a deep resource of power. Belle carefully watched with her own sword gripped firmly and Snow walked around. "Come on, Henry," she coaxed.

"We'll be along," Rumplestiltskin promised his grandson when he looked up at him, worry shining in those dark eyes.

"Sooner the better, Rumple," Regina called, her voice tight.

Henry and Snow were whisked away by Rumple's magic as he felt power building from Pan. He was pulling from Regina's spell and they only had moments before he broke. Maybe not even that long, he realized, as blue eyes flashed dangerously and a wave of raw power burst out, knocking several people from their feet. Rumplestiltskin managed to stay upright, the palms if his hands burning as he braced himself against it.

"I may be surprised, laddie, but not stupid," Pan snarled, stalking towards the former Dark One.

"Matter of opinion," Bae called from behind and an arrow came flying.

Pan darted to the side, but the sharp tip tore into his arm, the squid ink's effects taking hold and a blue shimmer spread across him, immediate followed by Regina and Emma's magic holding him completely still. He snarled, glare turned on Rumple and his son smirked. It was time to put an end to Peter Pan.

Rumplestiltskin had been working and reworking the spell into something he could manage without the well of power that he'd had access to as the Dark One. He'd put a good deal of his centuries' worth of study into reworking the spell, and as it unraveled Neverland's effects in Pan he felt that it had been time well spent. He was fighting it with everything he had, but without the ability to flee the scene there was really nothing he could do. Slowly, bit by bit, the layers upon layers that had formed up the illusion if a child slipped away and they left a familiar face behind.

Malcolm fell to his knees as the blue shimmer of the squid ink faded and Regina released her holding spell. The others gathered slowly around, wary, and the man turned to his son. "Rumple... You won't let them hurt me, will you, laddie?"

"You'd deserve everything you get and more," Emma growled out.

"But you won't kill me, will you, Rumple?" Malcolm pleaded. "You wouldn't let them hurt your Papa."

Rumplestiltskin's even expression never changed as he bent down close to Malcolm and spoke lowly. "You tormented my son for centuries in Neverland and you've spent the last months doing the same to my grandson. There are many things I disagree with the savior about, but the fact that anything you get will be fully deserved is not one. Enjoy mortality, however long you have to enjoy it."

The former Dark One straightened then, expression still carefully masked, and turned. Let the Charmings do what they would with him.

* * *

Peace had long since seemed like a foregone option. In his youth he'd been plagued with fear and uncertainty, and the years since had been filled with so much darkness that it was a wonder his soul had survived at all. It had, though, beaten and battered as it was, and he had those he loved to thank for it.

Those faces filled his mind and Bae was waiting for him at the top of the stairs. He'd walked down them some thirty years before when the cage at the bottom was meant for him. He'd never had the chance to walk back up them again as the curse had swept them all away, but he would that day. This was a temporary visit, one that he'd decided he needed. Malcolm's sentencing had finally been decided on and after a discussion with Belle on it, Rumplestiltskin had offered to take it below to him. It was time to close a chapter before turning the page and starting anew. Bae had offered to go with him, but it really was something he needed to do alone.

Guards let him pass with wary looks, but there was one that Rumple recognized. The tall, dark skinned guard was the one that had watched over him for the months he'd been trapped below. He'd revelled in it, in his own way. He was a man driven by duty and Rumplestiltskin knew that some of that duty and loyalty could even cloud what he would consider rational thought. "Alexander, I trust you have kept him well under lock and key."

The man quirked a dark eyebrow. "I hadn't expected you to deliver the news. I understand that Princess Snow has put together quite a reception."

Rumplestiltskin grimaced. "There's no talking her out of some things when she finds out about them," the former Dark One agreed.

Alexander nodded and shifted out of the way. "You'll give Lady Belle my best," he said tightly.

A real smile perked. "Of course."

The hall, if it could be called that, was just as dark and dreary as he remembered. It was deep under the mines and burned of fairy magic that nipped at him even now that his curse had been broken. Water dripped and the smell remained stale and still, as if nothing would ever really change down there. It wouldn't, either. This place was like a pocket where time didn't matter except to eat away at the worthless years of the man that abandoned him as a small child.

"Well hello, laddie," came the crooning voice from the darkness. "Couldn't stay away?"

Rumplestiltskin's thin lips stretched into a smile that was anything but friendly. "Hardly. I've stayed away quite nicely, but I wanted to see the look on your face when you hear what they decided."

Malcolm stood, blue eyes cutting through the darkness and he couldn't hide the eagerness for news. "Are your little heros putting me to death then?"

"No, they won't be," Rumple answered and the smile grew vicious. "You'll spend the rest of your days down here. Without your powers you're no threat to my family, but you'll pay for what you've done. You get to rot down here without seeing the light of day. Enjoy yourself."

The elder man bristled, fingers wrapping around the newly repaired bars of the cell and he pressed his face against them, getting as close to his son as possible. "You wouldn't leave your own papa to rot, would you laddie?"

"I certainly would. It's time to end this little dance between us. You no longer have any hold on me. It's far beyond time to move past this and start again."

"You think that just because your boy has forgotten who you are and what you've done and that little flower has agreed to marry you that it will last? Don't be a fool, Rumple. They'll never accept you. Baelfire will leave and-"

"Enough," Rumplestiltskin said evenly. "I'm already late. You, on the other hand, have all the time in the worlds to think on whatever it is that you'd like to think on. Enjoy that time. You'll never see my family or me again." He turned, leaving a stupefied Malcolm to gape at him and he pulled in a deep breath to steady himself. "I may never find it in myself to forgive you, Papa, but I _can_ make sure you don't cast a shadow on the rest of our lives. Goodbye."

Malcolm said nothing as Rumplestiltskin left him to his fate, climbing the stairs and nodding to Alexander on the way out. Bae met him at the top. "Everything okay, Pop?"

Feeling the rush of peace that came was an odd, but welcomed feeling. "Yes, Bae, I think it is."

"Good to hear, because if we don't hurry, you're going to be late to your own wedding."

Rumplestiltskin grinned and a hand went to his son's shoulder. "I'd never live _that_ down."

* * *

They'd managed to keep their engagement quiet during the majority of the war, but after it was over and Pan had been captured, somehow Snow had found out. Belle wasn't entirely sure who the culprit was - though Bae knew, and Bae and Emma were rekindling their relationship, so it had likely come down that line - and she had immediately wanted to be involved in the wedding. It was her way of apologizing for everything, they knew, but Rumple had left that conversation faster than Belle had known he could and somehow she'd managed to come to something like a middle ground with the dark haired princess. The wedding would be small with only family involved in it, and Snow could put together some sort of reception as long as she kept it to a minimum.

Malcolm's sentencing had come in early that morning and it had taken some convincing to get Rumple to go. He needed it, they both knew, and he could put at least one demon to rest in his past and keep it there as they moved forward into their future together. So everything had been pushed back and Belle now found herself waiting for her fiance to return, sitting in a little room at the end of the hall from the smallest chapel. Emma was leaned up against a wall, no longer trying to hide her boredom, and Snow had found something else on Belle's dress to fidget with. "It could have waited," she mumbled again and Belle offered her a smile.

"Rumple needed this. Pan - Malcolm - has been a shadow over his life for too longer. Knowing that he can't harm anyone that Rumple loves will be good for him."

"Maybe we should have just pushed the wedding back to another day."

"I've waited long enough to marry the man I love."

The door flew open suddenly, as if it had gotten away from the person doing the opening. Henry appeared, his expression full of excitement. "Grandpa Gold's back!" he announced. "You ready, Belle?"

Belle stood, eyes shining and she nodded. Her father came up behind Henry and she took his outreached hand as the others hurried down the hall in front of them. Maurice looped his arm around her own and slowly, steadily they started down the hall. _Deep breath,_ she reminded herself even as they entered.

Rumple looked over as she entered, his eyes lighting up and he did look like a weight had finally been lifted from him. His lips quirked up a bit at the edges and Belle had to resist the urge to run to the end. Snow, David, Emma, Bae, and Henry stood off to the side and Jiminy Cricket was perched on a pedestal with his horn in front of him so that he could be heard. Maurice reluctantly let her go, kissing her cheek before taking a step back with the rest of them.

Jiminy spoke, but she hardly heard him as Rumple reached forward and took her hands. She'd gone over the vows she'd written again and again, but the words had left her now and she found something a bit less scripted leaving her tongue. "When we first met I couldn't have known what would happen. Even you didn't. I never would have imagined that this would be the path that we would take. No matter the darkness and the pain, our love found a way to break through, and with each new trial it grows stronger. I'll never stop fighting for you, Rumplestiltskin, and I'll never give up on you. I may not have been able to imagine what this would be like, but I wouldn't change a second of it for anything."

Her True Love swallowed hard, the words catching his tongue for a moment. He was so clever with words, but when it came to his own feelings Rumple often had trouble putting them together into something he was willing to express. The smile returned after a moment, though, and he squeezed her fingers in his. "Belle," he breathed, "I love you more than I could ever say. You're the reason the light broke through and you're the one that keeps me moving towards it. I cheated fate to be with those I love, and I know I'll never deserve you, but just having you near makes me want to be better. You make me stronger."

Belle felt the same warmth fill her up that did every time they kissed, though their lips hadn't met yet. Somewhere off to the side she thought she heard Jiminy mention something to that extent, and she reached forward, her hand touching the side of his face and he leaned into it. Slowly they moved in and the brightness of True Love that had been building in her rushed outward they kissed, and when they finally broke she sighed, pressing her cheek against his chest as he wrapped one arm around her. "I love you," he whispered into her ear.

"I love you," she answered, but felt a nearer set of eyes on them than had been before.

She cracked an eye open to see Henry standing there with a grin stretching from one side of his face to the other. He held out the small pouch he'd been entrusted with. "I think you guys forgot something."

Belle choked out a laugh and Rumple looked a little embarrassed, but he hid it quickly, taking the offered rings. "Thank you, Henry."

"What would you do without me, right?" her love's grandson grinned.

"I'm glad we'll never have to find out," he chuckled and held out the ring that matched the engagement stone he'd already given her. "May I?"

Belle nodded and he slipped the ring on her finger and she moved to do the same with the one she had for him. It was a Land Without Magic tradition, but she liked it. They didn't need symbols to show that they were linked now, but there was something beautiful about it. The whole world could see, if they were in the same room or not.

"So does this mean I finally get to call you grandma now?" Henry asked cheekily.

Rumplestiltskin chuckled and Belle laughed, reaching out to pull the boy into a hug. He returned it readily. "Of course, Henry," she answered, smiling over him at her husband. "Of course."

* * *

Notes: *deep breath* A big thank you to everyone who followed this through and to those that reviewed too! Thanks so much :)

I know that some people were hoping for the conversation between Henry and… well everyone, really, as they're all a little miffed at him for putting himself in danger like that, but it just didn't fit in no matter how many ways I turned this chapter. It seemed too forced, so I'm afraid that you'll just need to know that Henry was fussed over his actions, but hey, they're not going to keep him from his grandpa's wedding :P

Work is crazy today, but I'm hoping to get the first chapter of Courage of the Stars up this afternoon/evening. It's going to be my next full-length story and I'm already several chapters in, so I'm confident enough to go ahead and start posting it today. Especially since this last chapter was a tad on the short side.


End file.
